Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mwanza and Mbeya

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.

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Cost of Living Index in Mbeya
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Mbeya Living Index

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Mwanza

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$188

/mo nomad

Mbeya

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$427

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mwanza and in Mbeya

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

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

Mwanza $188
Mbeya $427

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

Mwanza $295
Mbeya $658

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

Mwanza $403
Mbeya $890

Mwanza is about 56% cheaper than Mbeya, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.42 TZS 6,381

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.31 TZS 40.3K

$22.85 TZS 60.2K

-33.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 TZS 12.2K

$7.42 TZS 19.5K

-37.74%

Cappuccino

$2.69 TZS 7,099

$1.48 TZS 3,906

81.76%

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

$0.37 TZS 968

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 TZS 765

$0.37 TZS 966

-21.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.91 TZS 2,407

$0.78 TZS 2,066

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 TZS 3,533

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 TZS 2,466

$0.56 TZS 1,469

67.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 TZS 4,044

$0.98 TZS 2,572

56.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 TZS 2,619

$0.99 TZS 2,616

Eggs

$2.10 TZS 5,546

$2.31 TZS 6,089

-9.09%

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)

$1.01 TZS 2,651

$0.92 TZS 2,433

9.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 TZS 3,542

$0.73 TZS 1,923

83.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 TZS 1,442

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 TZS 959

$0.75 TZS 1,964

-52.00%

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)

$1.45 TZS 3,811

$1.24 TZS 3,264

16.94%

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

$66.4 TZS 174.9K

$24.47 TZS 64.5K

171.19%

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)

$187 TZS 491.9K

$191 TZS 503.3K

-2.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Mwanza: November 3, 2026

Last update for Mbeya: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Mwanza

–

Mbeya

$116 27.1%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mwanza

–

Mbeya

$89 20.8%

Accommodation & Living

Mwanza

–

Mbeya

$77 17.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Mwanza

–

Mbeya

$57 13.3%

Eating Out

Mwanza

–

Mbeya

$47 * 11%

Clothing & Footwear

Mwanza

–

Mbeya

$30 7%

Getting Around

Mwanza

–

Mbeya

$12 * 2.9%

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 $15 in Mwanza versus $23 in Mbeya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $47 vs $116 – making Mwanza the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇿 Mwanza

🇹🇿 Mbeya

🕒 Local time

01:25 1:25 AM

Same time as Mwanza

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,104,521

541,603

💱 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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Between locations

Mwanza Mbeya 710 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Mwanza
Mbeya

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

Mwanza vs Mbeya: 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 $281 per month in Mwanza and $640 in Mbeya. 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 $15 in Mwanza and $23 in Mbeya. 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 $188 in Mwanza and $427 in Mbeya, 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.