Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Dar es Salaam Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Dar es Salaam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,316 per month in Lisbon vs $720 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,361 per month in Lisbon vs $1,136 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,405 per month in Lisbon vs $1,553 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 222% more than Dar es Salaam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 69% above the global median, while Dar es Salaam is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.87

$1.94 TZS 5,103

791.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$19.12 TZS 50.3K

230.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.79

$8.32 TZS 21.9K

36.90%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.74

$1.90 TZS 4,985

67.89%

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

$2.45 €2.10

$0.34 TZS 905

620.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.22 TZS 578

700.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$0.97 TZS 2,548

270.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$1.86 TZS 4,883

82.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$0.81 TZS 2,122

53.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$0.57 TZS 1,492

247.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.05 TZS 2,766

44.76%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.47

$1.93 TZS 5,063

109.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.64

$9.66 TZS 25.4K

40.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.21

$4.61 TZS 12.1K

82.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.69

$3.87 TZS 10.2K

371.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$2.49 TZS 6,537

-8.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$1.05 TZS 2,763

65.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$0.99 TZS 2,608

87.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.03 TZS 2,718

155.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.92 TZS 2,414

108.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.07 TZS 2,800

95.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.87 TZS 2,283

65.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.38 TZS 1,012

121.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$2.30 TZS 6,057

194.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$6.78 TZS 17.8K

-15.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$0.82 TZS 2,153

68.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.52 TZS 4,003

46.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$0.24 TZS 630

900.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.22

$14.92 TZS 39.2K

213.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$1.61 TZS 4,234

159.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.55 TZS 4,075

-26.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.20

$13.13 TZS 34.5K

34.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.32 TZS 3,467

75.76%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$17.0K TZS 44.8M

107.44%

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

$41.4K €35.6K

$26.0K TZS 68.4M

59.34%

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

$170 €146

$55.7 TZS 146.5K

205.74%

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

$19.34 €16.62

$8.90 TZS 23.4K

117.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.92

$34.85 TZS 91.6K

-3.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.35

$80.3 TZS 211.1K

-40.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.11

$8.43 TZS 22.2K

136.06%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.53

$5.12 TZS 13.4K

93.75%

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

$717 €617

$564 TZS 1.5M

27.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$13.3K TZS 35.1M

30.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.1

$14.28 TZS 37.5K

633.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.36

$25.97 TZS 68.3K

80.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.9

$43.83 TZS 115.2K

135.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$66.1 TZS 173.8K

87.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,441

$585 TZS 1.5M

186.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,093

$201 TZS 529.7K

530.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,566

$1,374 TZS 3.6M

117.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,713

$430 TZS 1.1M

363.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,728

$1,526 TZS 4.0M

412.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,004

$1,059 TZS 2.8M

339.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,361

$277 TZS 727.3K

472.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

18.25

-79.23%

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

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Dar es Salaam: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,677 in Lisbon versus $585 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 472% higher in Lisbon, 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 $63.0 in Lisbon versus $19.00 in Dar es Salaam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $283 vs $151 – making Dar es Salaam the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Yes – Lisbon is pricier by about 222%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,474 per month in Lisbon and $1,079 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 $717 per month in Lisbon and $564 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 87% more in Lisbon, 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 $720, than in Lisbon at $2,316. In Dar es Salaam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon 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, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.