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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $934 per month in Mandaue vs $851 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,374 per month in Mandaue vs $1,361 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Mandaue vs $1,871 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Mandaue costs about 10% more than Dar es Salaam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mandaue and Dar es Salaam are more affordable than the global median – Mandaue 30% lower, Dar es Salaam 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.52 ₱279

$2.74 TZS 7,055

64.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.25 ₱1,495

$19.65 TZS 50.7K

23.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.33 ₱267

$7.84 TZS 20.2K

-44.77%

Cappuccino

$2.64 ₱163

$2.03 TZS 5,235

30.05%

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

$0.81 ₱49.70

$0.35 TZS 907

131.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱27.81

$0.22 TZS 565

104.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 ₱96.6

$1.04 TZS 2,679

50.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₱128

$1.96 TZS 5,066

6.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 ₱128

$1.06 TZS 2,745

96.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 ₱46.14

$0.77 TZS 1,991

-2.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ₱59.9

$1.10 TZS 2,834

-11.82%

Eggs

$2.23 ₱138

$1.99 TZS 5,123

12.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.75 ₱786

$9.28 TZS 23.9K

37.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.17 ₱319

$5.94 TZS 15.3K

-12.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.52 ₱464

$4.23 TZS 10.9K

77.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 ₱221

$2.57 TZS 6,641

39.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 ₱92.7

$1.03 TZS 2,647

45.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 ₱201

$1.06 TZS 2,727

207.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 ₱139

$1.05 TZS 2,698

115.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 ₱158

$0.95 TZS 2,444

169.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.53 ₱156

$1.57 TZS 4,038

61.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ₱60.3

$0.85 TZS 2,183

15.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ₱48.69

$0.40 TZS 1,040

97.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.68 ₱165

$2.01 TZS 5,176

33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.34 ₱391

$6.93 TZS 17.9K

-8.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₱70.9

$0.95 TZS 2,463

21.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₱144

$1.62 TZS 4,190

44.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱16.01

$0.24 TZS 613

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.54 TZS 45.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₱51.7

$1.46 TZS 3,778

-42.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₱15.51

$1.57 TZS 4,039

-84.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 ₱163

$13.67 TZS 35.2K

-80.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₱67.2

$1.24 TZS 3,205

-12.10%

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

$29.6K ₱1.8M

$17.4K TZS 44.8M

70.37%

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

$27.5K ₱1.7M

$17.4K TZS 44.8M

58.06%

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

$95.5 ₱5,886

$97.8 TZS 252.1K

-2.35%

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

$26.50 ₱1,634

$10.72 TZS 27.6K

147.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.84 ₱1,840

$31.50 TZS 81.3K

-5.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.94 ₱2,956

$94.0 TZS 242.5K

-49.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.47 ₱276

$4.97 TZS 12.8K

-10.06%

Cinema Ticket

$5.91 ₱364

$4.85 TZS 12.5K

21.86%

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

$230 ₱14.2K

$256 TZS 659.3K

-9.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,847 ₱237.2K

$19.2K TZS 49.6M

-79.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.31 ₱2,856

$25.76 TZS 66.4K

79.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.90 ₱1,412

$41.84 TZS 107.9K

-45.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 ₱4,759

$45.69 TZS 117.8K

68.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.8 ₱3,438

$83.8 TZS 216.1K

-33.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 ₱16.4K

$575 TZS 1.5M

-53.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 ₱17.5K

$263 TZS 677.7K

8.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$854 ₱52.7K

$1,316 TZS 3.4M

-35.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 ₱26.9K

$652 TZS 1.7M

-33.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,353 ₱145.1K

$1,526 TZS 3.9M

54.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$958 ₱59.1K

$1,066 TZS 2.7M

-10.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$242 ₱14.9K

$284 TZS 732.2K

-14.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.67

-59.33%

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

Last update for Mandaue: June 1, 2026

Last update for Dar es Salaam: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $266 in Mandaue 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 17% higher in Dar es Salaam, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Mandaue versus $20.00 in Dar es Salaam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 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

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

Yes – Mandaue is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,401 per month in Mandaue 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Mandaue and $20.00 in Dar es Salaam. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Mandaue, 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 Mandaue at $934. In Dar es Salaam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mandaue 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, Mandaue makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.