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 $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $851 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $1,361 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $1,871 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 160% more than Dar es Salaam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lisbon sits 65% above the global median, while Dar es Salaam is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$2.74 TZS 7,055

480.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$19.65 TZS 50.7K

229.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$7.84 TZS 20.2K

34.06%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$2.03 TZS 5,235

41.38%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.35 TZS 907

540.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.22 TZS 565

581.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$1.04 TZS 2,679

235.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$1.96 TZS 5,066

97.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.06 TZS 2,745

7.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.77 TZS 1,991

127.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.10 TZS 2,834

60.00%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.99 TZS 5,123

61.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

$9.28 TZS 23.9K

45.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

$5.94 TZS 15.3K

33.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

$4.23 TZS 10.9K

275.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.57 TZS 6,641

-10.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.03 TZS 2,647

65.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.06 TZS 2,727

89.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.05 TZS 2,698

134.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.95 TZS 2,444

93.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.57 TZS 4,038

27.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.85 TZS 2,183

127.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.40 TZS 1,040

97.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

$2.01 TZS 5,176

228.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

$6.93 TZS 17.9K

-17.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$0.95 TZS 2,463

44.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

$1.62 TZS 4,190

83.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.24 TZS 613

887.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

$17.54 TZS 45.2K

159.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

$1.46 TZS 3,778

193.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.57 TZS 4,039

-47.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$13.67 TZS 35.2K

33.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.24 TZS 3,205

66.13%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

$17.4K TZS 44.8M

97.32%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$17.4K TZS 44.8M

125.99%

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

$148 €127

$97.8 TZS 252.1K

51.26%

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

$20.52 €17.65

$10.72 TZS 27.6K

91.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$31.50 TZS 81.3K

25.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

$94.0 TZS 242.5K

-49.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

$4.97 TZS 12.8K

280.68%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$4.85 TZS 12.5K

89.28%

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

$614 €528

$256 TZS 659.3K

140.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$19.2K TZS 49.6M

-16.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$25.76 TZS 66.4K

306.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

$41.84 TZS 107.9K

0.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

$45.69 TZS 117.8K

105.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$83.8 TZS 216.1K

42.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

$575 TZS 1.5M

183.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

$263 TZS 677.7K

377.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$1,316 TZS 3.4M

130.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

$652 TZS 1.7M

209.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

$1,526 TZS 3.9M

410.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

$1,066 TZS 2.7M

300.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

$284 TZS 732.2K

464.74%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Dar es Salaam: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,628 in Lisbon versus $575 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 465% 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 $65.0 in Lisbon versus $20.00 in Dar es Salaam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $166 – 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 160%, 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 $3,315 per month in Lisbon and $1,276 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 $614 per month in Lisbon and $256 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 63% 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 $851, than in Lisbon at $2,210. 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.