Cost of Living Comparison Between Morogoro and Zanzibar Cost of Living Comparison Between Morogoro and Zanzibar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $440 per month in Morogoro vs $451 in Zanzibar, rent included.

A couple spends around $710 per month in Morogoro vs $702 in Zanzibar, rent included.

A family of three spends $979 per month in Morogoro vs $954 in Zanzibar, rent included.

Morogoro is about 2% cheaper than Zanzibar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Morogoro and Zanzibar are more affordable than the global median – Morogoro 67% lower, Zanzibar 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 TZS 7,082

$4.87 TZS 12.6K

-43.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.68 TZS 50.7K

$22.38 TZS 57.7K

-12.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 TZS 19.7K

$5.83 TZS 15.0K

30.87%

Cappuccino

$2.01 TZS 5,172

$2.18 TZS 5,635

-7.80%

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

$0.39 TZS 998

$0.60 TZS 1,539

-35.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 TZS 564

$0.31 TZS 792

-29.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 TZS 2,687

$1.94 TZS 5,011

-46.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 TZS 5,038

$2.77 TZS 7,141

-29.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 TZS 1,990

$1.77 TZS 4,574

-56.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.38 TZS 976

$0.74 TZS 1,897

-48.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 TZS 2,601

$0.87 TZS 2,236

16.09%

Eggs

$1.84 TZS 4,748

$2.87 TZS 7,396

-35.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.35 TZS 24.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 TZS 11.8K

$2.28 TZS 5,872

100.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.83 TZS 9,875

$4.75 TZS 12.2K

-19.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 TZS 2,936

$2.92 TZS 7,541

-60.96%

Banana (1kg)

$0.61 TZS 1,560

$1.13 TZS 2,908

-46.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.57 TZS 1,462

$0.75 TZS 1,943

-24.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.37 TZS 957

$0.59 TZS 1,530

-37.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 TZS 2,072

$0.93 TZS 2,386

-13.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 TZS 1,527

$1.58 TZS 4,062

-62.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 TZS 2,287

$0.74 TZS 1,916

20.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 TZS 729

$0.46 TZS 1,184

-39.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.53 TZS 3,957

$2.11 TZS 5,442

-27.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.08 TZS 13.1K

$9.55 TZS 24.6K

-46.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 TZS 1,948

$1.75 TZS 4,520

-56.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 TZS 4,178

$1.31 TZS 3,387

23.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 TZS 768

$0.65 TZS 1,664

-53.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.18 TZS 21.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 TZS 3,830

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 TZS 1,428

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.55 TZS 34.9K

$2.76 TZS 7,125

390.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 TZS 1,933

$1.20 TZS 3,101

-37.50%

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

$17.1K TZS 44.0M

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

$17.5K TZS 45.0M

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

$95.7 TZS 246.7K

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

$10.72 TZS 27.7K

$10.46 TZS 27.0K

2.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.53 TZS 83.9K

$22.74 TZS 58.6K

43.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.76 TZS 30.3K

$21.24 TZS 54.8K

-44.63%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 TZS 12.7K

$9.42 TZS 24.3K

-47.77%

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

$251 TZS 648.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,653 TZS 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$7.74 TZS 20.0K

$13.26 TZS 34.2K

-41.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.76 TZS 107.7K

$17.44 TZS 45.0K

139.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.88 TZS 118.3K

$15.26 TZS 39.3K

200.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.47 TZS 50.2K

$13.76 TZS 35.5K

41.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$78.4 TZS 202.3K

$148 TZS 382.9K

-47.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.0 TZS 255.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$191 TZS 491.6K

$202 TZS 520.2K

-5.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$97.6 TZS 251.7K

$150 TZS 386.0K

-34.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$38.5K TZS 99.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.4K TZS 29.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$307 TZS 791.4K

$324 TZS 834.5K

-5.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.67

96.70%

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

Last update for Morogoro: May 30, 2026

Last update for Zanzibar: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $78.4 in Morogoro versus $148 in Zanzibar. 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 5% higher in Zanzibar, 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 $20.00 in Morogoro versus $22.00 in Zanzibar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $126 vs $138 – making Morogoro 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

Morogoro vs Zanzibar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zanzibar costs about 2% more than Morogoro, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $660 per month in Morogoro and $676 in Zanzibar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $440 in Morogoro and $451 in Zanzibar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Zanzibar, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $440 in Morogoro and $451 in Zanzibar, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Morogoro – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Morogoro. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Zanzibar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.