Cost of Living Comparison Between Johor Bahru and Dar es Salaam Cost of Living Comparison Between Johor Bahru and Dar es Salaam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $943 per month in Johor Bahru vs $877 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Johor Bahru vs $1,409 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,826 per month in Johor Bahru vs $1,941 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Johor Bahru costs about 8% more than Dar es Salaam, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Johor Bahru and Dar es Salaam are more affordable than the global median – Johor Bahru 30% lower, Dar es Salaam 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 MYR 14.56

$2.85 TZS 7,431

25.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.77 MYR 76.1

$19.20 TZS 50.1K

-2.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 MYR 19.02

$7.65 TZS 20.0K

-38.69%

Cappuccino

$3.02 MYR 12.23

$2.02 TZS 5,274

49.50%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 MYR 3.22

$0.35 TZS 922

125.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.84

$0.24 TZS 628

87.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 MYR 14.78

$1.09 TZS 2,839

233.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.63 MYR 26.90

$1.92 TZS 5,005

245.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.37

$1.02 TZS 2,672

78.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.76

$0.79 TZS 2,051

17.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.25

$1.08 TZS 2,826

19.44%

Eggs

$1.87 MYR 7.59

$2.08 TZS 5,438

-10.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.72 MYR 43.49

$9.33 TZS 24.3K

14.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 MYR 14.17

$5.69 TZS 14.8K

-38.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.21 MYR 33.29

$4.28 TZS 11.2K

91.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 MYR 11.21

$2.58 TZS 6,720

7.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 6.00

$1.05 TZS 2,749

40.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 10.04

$1.02 TZS 2,663

143.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.10

$1.03 TZS 2,699

22.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.61

$0.96 TZS 2,506

18.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.38

$1.50 TZS 3,926

-11.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.82

$0.90 TZS 2,339

4.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.30

$0.40 TZS 1,053

42.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MYR 16.98

$2.05 TZS 5,345

104.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.08 MYR 57.1

$6.91 TZS 18.0K

103.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 MYR 10.72

$0.90 TZS 2,342

193.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 MYR 11.90

$1.65 TZS 4,309

77.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.24 TZS 622

208.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.67 MYR 47.34

$17.36 TZS 45.3K

-32.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.13

$1.47 TZS 3,843

-30.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 4.03

$1.50 TZS 3,908

-34.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.41 MYR 38.15

$13.64 TZS 35.6K

-31.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.85

$1.21 TZS 3,154

-61.98%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.8K MYR 145.2K

$17.0K TZS 44.4M

110.64%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.4K MYR 111.1K

$17.5K TZS 45.5M

56.94%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$41.08 MYR 167

$98.3 TZS 256.4K

-58.20%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.14 MYR 37.06

$10.67 TZS 27.8K

-14.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.22 MYR 123

$32.44 TZS 84.6K

-6.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.97 MYR 142

$95.6 TZS 249.5K

-63.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.01 MYR 24.37

$4.90 TZS 12.8K

22.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.04 MYR 20.42

$4.93 TZS 12.9K

2.23%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$184 MYR 746

$255 TZS 664.1K

-27.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,934 MYR 28.1K

$18.9K TZS 49.4M

-63.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.20 MYR 200

$26.15 TZS 68.2K

88.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.06 MYR 77.3

$42.61 TZS 111.2K

-55.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.1 MYR 219

$46.76 TZS 122.0K

15.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.69 MYR 165

$83.0 TZS 216.6K

-51.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$469 MYR 1,901

$579 TZS 1.5M

-18.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 MYR 1,611

$257 TZS 669.8K

54.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 MYR 3,311

$1,291 TZS 3.4M

-36.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$611 MYR 2,478

$654 TZS 1.7M

-6.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,079 MYR 8,432

$1,521 TZS 4.0M

36.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,163 MYR 4,714

$1,105 TZS 2.9M

5.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,108 MYR 4,492

$282 TZS 736.2K

292.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

19.67

-79.31%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Johor Bahru: June 7, 2026

Last update for Dar es Salaam: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $469 in Johor Bahru versus $579 in Dar es Salaam. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 293% higher in Johor Bahru, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Johor Bahru versus $19.00 in Dar es Salaam. Groceries tell a different story – $217 in Johor Bahru vs $164 in Dar es Salaam – so Dar es Salaam wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Johor Bahru vs Dar es Salaam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Johor Bahru is pricier by about 8%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,414 per month in Johor Bahru and $1,315 in Dar es Salaam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dar es Salaam, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $184 per month in Johor Bahru and $255 in Dar es Salaam. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Johor Bahru, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dar es Salaam, where all-in costs run around $877, than in Johor Bahru at $943. In Dar es Salaam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johor Bahru it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dar es Salaam – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Dar es Salaam. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Johor Bahru makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.