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 $2,291 per month in Lisbon vs $874 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,322 per month in Lisbon vs $1,402 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,354 per month in Lisbon vs $1,930 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 162% more than Dar es Salaam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while Dar es Salaam is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.15

$2.74 TZS 7,178

490.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.3

$19.19 TZS 50.3K

230.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.02

$7.64 TZS 20.0K

35.08%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.47

$1.94 TZS 5,101

45.88%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.36 TZS 938

536.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.22 TZS 576

618.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.97

$1.04 TZS 2,716

226.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$1.89 TZS 4,966

113.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.07 TZS 2,819

1.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.83 TZS 2,178

110.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.09 TZS 2,855

61.47%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$2.06 TZS 5,395

53.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.53

$9.55 TZS 25.0K

38.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.96

$5.74 TZS 15.1K

38.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.57

$4.36 TZS 11.5K

256.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.56 TZS 6,728

-7.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.02 TZS 2,667

67.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.75

$1.06 TZS 2,794

89.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.12

$1.09 TZS 2,858

122.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.89 TZS 2,323

97.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$1.51 TZS 3,951

34.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.91 TZS 2,387

110.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.40 TZS 1,057

112.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.75

$1.98 TZS 5,190

232.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.87

$6.98 TZS 18.3K

-20.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.16

$0.95 TZS 2,488

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.62 TZS 4,243

83.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.26 TZS 683

776.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.01

$17.62 TZS 46.2K

159.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.69

$1.42 TZS 3,719

197.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$1.49 TZS 3,904

-45.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.11

$13.51 TZS 35.5K

36.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.20 TZS 3,144

73.33%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$16.8K TZS 44.1M

106.28%

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

$39.2K €34.2K

$17.3K TZS 45.3M

127.00%

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

$148 €129

$97.0 TZS 254.6K

52.58%

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

$20.46 €17.88

$10.92 TZS 28.7K

87.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.56

$32.24 TZS 84.6K

22.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.93

$95.1 TZS 249.5K

-49.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.25

$4.76 TZS 12.5K

290.76%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.06

$4.67 TZS 12.2K

97.43%

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

$616 €538

$258 TZS 676.9K

138.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$18.8K TZS 49.4M

-12.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.7

$26.38 TZS 69.2K

289.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.47

$42.45 TZS 111.4K

-1.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.8

$47.02 TZS 123.4K

101.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$84.8 TZS 222.5K

43.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,426

$594 TZS 1.6M

174.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,077

$262 TZS 686.3K

371.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,707

$1,292 TZS 3.4M

139.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,775

$652 TZS 1.7M

211.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,842

$1,504 TZS 3.9M

420.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,835

$1,078 TZS 2.8M

306.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,404

$275 TZS 722.4K

483.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

19.67

-80.63%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Dar es Salaam: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,633 in Lisbon versus $594 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 484% 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: $267 vs $167 – 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 162%, 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 $3,437 per month in Lisbon and $1,311 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 $616 per month in Lisbon and $258 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 60% 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 $874, than in Lisbon at $2,291. 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.