Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mbeya and Njombe

For one person, living is cheaper in Njombe: $334 a month against $427 in Mbeya, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Mbeya
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Mbeya Living Index

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Mbeya

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$427

/mo nomad

Njombe

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$334

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mbeya and in Njombe

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

A single person spends $427 per month in Mbeya vs $334 in Njombe, rent included.

Mbeya $427
Njombe $334

A couple spends around $660 per month in Mbeya vs $512 in Njombe, rent included.

Mbeya $660
Njombe $512

A family of three spends $892 per month in Mbeya vs $690 in Njombe, rent included.

Mbeya $892
Njombe $690

Mbeya costs about 28% more than Njombe, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Mbeya and Njombe are more affordable than the global median – Mbeya 68% lower, Njombe 75% lower.

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.70 TZS 59.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.69 TZS 20.1K

Cappuccino

$1.55 TZS 4,048

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

$0.36 TZS 949

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 TZS 948

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.78 TZS 2,053

Milk (1 liter)

$0.55 TZS 1,446

$0.98 TZS 2,570

-43.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 TZS 2,413

$0.55 TZS 1,449

67.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 TZS 2,414

$0.98 TZS 2,578

-6.12%

Eggs

$2.24 TZS 5,874

$1.32 TZS 3,463

69.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.89 TZS 10.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 TZS 9,686

$3.74 TZS 9,790

-1.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.39 TZS 8,874

$2.95 TZS 7,730

14.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 TZS 3,069

$1.50 TZS 3,925

-22.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 TZS 1,956

$1.74 TZS 4,558

-56.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 TZS 2,409

$1.84 TZS 4,809

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.80 TZS 2,083

$2.04 TZS 5,339

-60.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 TZS 2,571

$1.35 TZS 3,548

-27.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 TZS 1,963

$2.43 TZS 6,370

-69.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 TZS 1,461

$0.40 TZS 1,038

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 TZS 2,027

$0.36 TZS 952

113.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.16 TZS 3,037

$1.65 TZS 4,332

-29.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.88 TZS 10.2K

$1.87 TZS 4,897

107.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 TZS 2,039

$1.30 TZS 3,404

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 TZS 3,050

$2.14 TZS 5,593

-45.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 TZS 946

$0.28 TZS 736

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.31 TZS 50.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 TZS 2,909

$1.54 TZS 4,039

-27.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 TZS 4,858

$1.17 TZS 3,059

58.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 TZS 6,877

$5.51 TZS 14.4K

-52.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 TZS 3,113

$1.22 TZS 3,183

-2.46%

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

$18.1K TZS 47.4M

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

$11.2K TZS 29.4M

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

$24.53 TZS 64.2K

$20.74 TZS 54.3K

18.27%

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

$18.82 TZS 49.3K

$14.89 TZS 39.0K

26.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.86 TZS 120.1K

$55.8 TZS 146.2K

-17.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.53 TZS 100.9K

$22.47 TZS 58.8K

71.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.47 TZS 19.6K

Cinema Ticket

$9.62 TZS 25.2K

$3.82 TZS 9,995

151.83%

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

$189 TZS 495.2K

$321 TZS 841.3K

-41.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,132 TZS 3.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.28 TZS 29.5K

$14.98 TZS 39.2K

-24.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.33 TZS 24.4K

$20.71 TZS 54.2K

-54.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$18.72 TZS 49.0K

$16.90 TZS 44.2K

10.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.44 TZS 69.3K

$14.90 TZS 39.0K

77.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$114 TZS 298.0K

$113 TZS 294.9K

1.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$74.7 TZS 195.5K

$37.69 TZS 98.7K

98.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$188 TZS 493.6K

$188 TZS 492.5K

0.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$113 TZS 295.1K

$115 TZS 301.3K

-2.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$190 TZS 496.4K

$256 TZS 671.7K

-26.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33%

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

Last update for Mbeya: October 11, 2026

Last update for Njombe: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Mbeya

$116 27.1%

Njombe

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mbeya

$89 20.9%

Njombe

–

Accommodation & Living

Mbeya

$75 17.5%

Njombe

–

Sport & Entertainment

Mbeya

$58 13.5%

Njombe

–

Eating Out

Mbeya

$48 * 11.3%

Njombe

–

Clothing & Footwear

Mbeya

$30 6.9%

Njombe

–

Getting Around

Mbeya

$12 * 2.8%

Njombe

–

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $114 in Mbeya versus $113 in Njombe. 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 35% higher in Njombe, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

Good to know

🇹🇿 Mbeya

🇹🇿 Njombe

🕒 Local time

12:18 12:18 PM

Same time as Mbeya

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

541,603

92,537

💱 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

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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 Njombe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mbeya is pricier by about 28%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $641 per month in Mbeya and $502 in Njombe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Njombe, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Mbeya – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

Kindergarten costs $189 per month in Mbeya and $321 in Njombe. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $427 in Mbeya and $334 in Njombe, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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