Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mbeya and Dodoma

For one person, living costs are similar in Mbeya and in Dodoma: $426 and $430 a month, rent and utilities included.

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Cost of Living Index in Mbeya
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Mbeya Living Index

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Mbeya

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$426

/mo nomad

Dodoma

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$430

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mbeya and in Dodoma

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mbeya and in Dodoma actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $426 per month in Mbeya vs $430 in Dodoma, rent included.

Mbeya $426
Dodoma $430

A couple spends around $656 per month in Mbeya vs $616 in Dodoma, rent included.

Mbeya $656
Dodoma $616

A family of three spends $887 per month in Mbeya vs $802 in Dodoma, rent included.

Mbeya $887
Dodoma $802

Mbeya is about 1% cheaper than Dodoma, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Mbeya and Dodoma are more affordable than the global median – Mbeya 69% lower, Dodoma 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.72 TZS 7,115

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.68 TZS 59.4K

$19.07 TZS 50.0K

18.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.77 TZS 20.4K

$7.41 TZS 19.4K

4.86%

Cappuccino

$1.52 TZS 3,989

$1.94 TZS 5,076

-21.65%

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

$0.37 TZS 958

$0.34 TZS 878

8.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 TZS 964

$0.84 TZS 2,197

-55.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.72 TZS 1,882

$0.80 TZS 2,101

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 TZS 8,440

Milk (1 liter)

$0.55 TZS 1,435

$0.87 TZS 2,271

-36.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 TZS 2,430

$0.79 TZS 2,058

17.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 TZS 2,414

$1.01 TZS 2,655

-8.91%

Eggs

$2.32 TZS 6,067

$2.25 TZS 5,906

3.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.80 TZS 9,949

$5.79 TZS 15.2K

-34.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 TZS 9,734

$6.71 TZS 17.6K

-44.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.30 TZS 8,643

$3.85 TZS 10.1K

-14.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 TZS 3,003

$2.39 TZS 6,262

-51.88%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 TZS 2,051

$0.93 TZS 2,436

-16.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 TZS 2,581

$0.72 TZS 1,897

37.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 TZS 1,917

$1.54 TZS 4,041

-52.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 TZS 2,538

$1.03 TZS 2,695

-5.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 TZS 2,053

$1.69 TZS 4,425

-53.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 TZS 1,465

$0.48 TZS 1,262

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 TZS 1,883

$0.36 TZS 954

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.14 TZS 2,998

$1.54 TZS 4,041

-25.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.72 TZS 9,744

$3.68 TZS 9,639

1.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 TZS 2,045

$0.83 TZS 2,169

-6.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 TZS 3,038

$1.25 TZS 3,287

-7.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 TZS 1,036

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 TZS 2,891

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 TZS 4,834

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 TZS 6,831

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 TZS 3,204

$1.37 TZS 3,596

-10.95%

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

$23.68 TZS 62.0K

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

$18.83 TZS 49.3K

$18.53 TZS 48.5K

1.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.09 TZS 120.7K

$18.77 TZS 49.2K

145.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.78 TZS 98.9K

$56.9 TZS 149.0K

-33.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.66 TZS 20.1K

Cinema Ticket

$9.50 TZS 24.9K

$3.86 TZS 10.1K

146.11%

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

$191 TZS 500.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,129 TZS 3.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.42 TZS 29.9K

$7.40 TZS 19.4K

54.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.23 TZS 24.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.08 TZS 50.0K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.12 TZS 68.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$114 TZS 297.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.4 TZS 200.0K

$95.7 TZS 250.7K

-20.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$187 TZS 491.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 TZS 292.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$191 TZS 501.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Mbeya: October 19, 2026

Last update for Dodoma: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Mbeya

$115 26.9%

Dodoma

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mbeya

$89 20.8%

Dodoma

–

Accommodation & Living

Mbeya

$76 17.9%

Dodoma

–

Sport & Entertainment

Mbeya

$57 13.3%

Dodoma

–

Eating Out

Mbeya

$48 * 11.3%

Dodoma

–

Clothing & Footwear

Mbeya

$30 7%

Dodoma

–

Getting Around

Mbeya

$12 * 2.8%

Dodoma

–

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Mbeya versus $19.00 in Dodoma. Groceries tell a different story – $115 in Mbeya vs $147 in Dodoma – so Mbeya wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇿 Mbeya

🇹🇿 Dodoma

🕒 Local time

15:29 3:29 PM

Same time as Mbeya

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

541,603

765,179 Capital

💱 Currency

Tanzanian Shilling TZS Sh

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 TZS = 3.82 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.4 EUR

10,000 TZS = 3.82 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Mbeya Dodoma 390 km

From you

Mbeya
Dodoma

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Mbeya vs Dodoma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dodoma costs about 1% more than Mbeya, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $639 per month in Mbeya and $646 in Dodoma. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $426 in Mbeya and $430 in Dodoma. That's a gap of about 1%.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Dodoma, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $426 in Mbeya and $430 in Dodoma, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Mbeya – 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 Mbeya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dodoma makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.