Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mbeya and Mwanza

For one person, living is cheaper in Mwanza: $188 a month against $427 in Mbeya, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

20

Cost of Living Index in Mbeya
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Mbeya Living Index

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Mbeya

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$427

/mo nomad

Mwanza

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$188

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mbeya and in Mwanza

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 Mwanza actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $427 per month in Mbeya vs $188 in Mwanza, rent included.

Mbeya $427
Mwanza $188

A couple spends around $658 per month in Mbeya vs $295 in Mwanza, rent included.

Mbeya $658
Mwanza $295

A family of three spends $890 per month in Mbeya vs $403 in Mwanza, rent included.

Mbeya $890
Mwanza $403

Mbeya costs about 128% more than Mwanza, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Mbeya and Mwanza are more affordable than the global median – Mbeya 68% lower, Mwanza 86% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.42 TZS 6,381

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.85 TZS 60.2K

$15.31 TZS 40.3K

49.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 TZS 19.5K

$4.62 TZS 12.2K

60.61%

Cappuccino

$1.48 TZS 3,906

$2.69 TZS 7,099

-44.98%

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

$0.37 TZS 968

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 TZS 966

$0.29 TZS 765

27.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.78 TZS 2,066

$0.91 TZS 2,407

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 TZS 3,533

Milk (1 liter)

$0.56 TZS 1,469

$0.94 TZS 2,466

-40.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 TZS 2,572

$1.53 TZS 4,044

-35.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 TZS 2,616

$0.99 TZS 2,619

Eggs

$2.31 TZS 6,089

$2.10 TZS 5,546

10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.70 TZS 9,750

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 TZS 9,848

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.35 TZS 8,823

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 TZS 3,025

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 TZS 2,097

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 TZS 2,442

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 TZS 2,044

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 TZS 2,433

$1.01 TZS 2,651

-8.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 TZS 1,923

$1.34 TZS 3,542

-45.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 TZS 1,442

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 TZS 1,964

$0.36 TZS 959

108.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.16 TZS 3,048

Wine (Bottle)

$3.86 TZS 10.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 TZS 1,944

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 TZS 3,050

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 TZS 1,048

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 TZS 3,014

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 TZS 5,060

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 TZS 7,044

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 TZS 3,264

$1.45 TZS 3,811

-14.48%

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

$24.47 TZS 64.5K

$66.4 TZS 174.9K

-63.13%

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

$18.87 TZS 49.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.59 TZS 120.1K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.67 TZS 99.3K

Cinema Ticket

$9.61 TZS 25.3K

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

$186 TZS 489.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,135 TZS 3.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.24 TZS 29.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.37 TZS 24.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.00 TZS 50.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.58 TZS 70.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$113 TZS 297.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.6 TZS 201.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$189 TZS 497.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 TZS 296.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$191 TZS 503.3K

$187 TZS 491.9K

2.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Mbeya: November 2, 2026

Last update for Mwanza: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Mbeya

$116 27.1%

Mwanza

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mbeya

$89 20.8%

Mwanza

–

Accommodation & Living

Mbeya

$77 17.9%

Mwanza

–

Sport & Entertainment

Mbeya

$57 13.3%

Mwanza

–

Eating Out

Mbeya

$47 * 11%

Mwanza

–

Clothing & Footwear

Mbeya

$30 7%

Mwanza

–

Getting Around

Mbeya

$12 * 2.9%

Mwanza

–

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 in Mbeya versus $15 in Mwanza. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $116 vs $47 – making Mwanza the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇿 Mbeya

🇹🇿 Mwanza

🕒 Local time

01:25 1:25 AM

Same time as Mbeya

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

541,603

1,104,521

💱 Currency

Tanzanian Shilling TZS Sh

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 TZS = 3.8 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.38 EUR

10,000 TZS = 3.8 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.38 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Mbeya Mwanza 710 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Mbeya
Mwanza

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 Mwanza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mbeya is pricier by about 128%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $640 per month in Mbeya and $281 in Mwanza. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 145% more in Mbeya, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23 in Mbeya and $15 in Mwanza. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $427 in Mbeya and $188 in Mwanza, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Mwanza has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $188 in Mwanza to $427 in Mbeya. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.