Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Njombe and Mbeya

For one person, living is cheaper in Njombe: $335 a month against $426 in Mbeya, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Mbeya
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Mbeya Living Index

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Njombe

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$335

/mo nomad

Mbeya

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$426

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Njombe 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 Njombe and in Mbeya actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $335 per month in Njombe vs $426 in Mbeya, rent included.

Njombe $335
Mbeya $426

A couple spends around $512 per month in Njombe vs $656 in Mbeya, rent included.

Njombe $512
Mbeya $656

A family of three spends $688 per month in Njombe vs $887 in Mbeya, rent included.

Njombe $688
Mbeya $887

Njombe is about 21% cheaper than Mbeya, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Njombe and Mbeya are more affordable than the global median – Njombe 75% lower, Mbeya 69% lower.

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.68 TZS 59.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.77 TZS 20.4K

Cappuccino

$1.52 TZS 3,989

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

$0.37 TZS 958

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 TZS 964

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.72 TZS 1,882

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 TZS 2,385

$0.55 TZS 1,435

65.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 TZS 1,532

$0.93 TZS 2,430

-36.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 TZS 2,379

$0.92 TZS 2,414

-1.09%

Eggs

$1.32 TZS 3,459

$2.32 TZS 6,067

-43.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.80 TZS 9,949

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.84 TZS 10.1K

$3.72 TZS 9,734

3.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.96 TZS 7,742

$3.30 TZS 8,643

-10.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 TZS 3,865

$1.15 TZS 3,003

28.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 TZS 4,542

$0.78 TZS 2,051

121.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 TZS 4,787

$0.99 TZS 2,581

84.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 TZS 5,367

$0.73 TZS 1,917

180.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 TZS 3,541

$0.97 TZS 2,538

39.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 TZS 6,547

$0.78 TZS 2,053

220.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 TZS 1,026

$0.56 TZS 1,465

-30.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 TZS 963

$0.72 TZS 1,883

-48.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.68 TZS 4,388

$1.14 TZS 2,998

47.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$1.91 TZS 5,004

$3.72 TZS 9,744

-48.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 TZS 3,381

$0.78 TZS 2,045

65.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 TZS 5,296

$1.16 TZS 3,038

74.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 TZS 712

$0.40 TZS 1,036

-32.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.40 TZS 50.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 TZS 3,839

$1.10 TZS 2,891

33.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 TZS 2,991

$1.85 TZS 4,834

-38.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.63 TZS 14.7K

$2.61 TZS 6,831

115.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 TZS 3,204

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

$17.9K TZS 47.0M

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

$11.2K TZS 29.3M

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

$20.57 TZS 53.9K

$23.68 TZS 62.0K

-13.13%

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

$15.14 TZS 39.7K

$18.83 TZS 49.3K

-19.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.5 TZS 150.5K

$46.09 TZS 120.7K

24.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.45 TZS 58.8K

$37.78 TZS 98.9K

-40.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.64 TZS 20.0K

Cinema Ticket

$3.80 TZS 9,941

$9.50 TZS 24.9K

-60.00%

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

$327 TZS 856.7K

$191 TZS 500.6K

71.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,129 TZS 3.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.81 TZS 38.8K

$11.42 TZS 29.9K

29.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.52 TZS 53.7K

$9.23 TZS 24.2K

122.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$17.26 TZS 45.2K

$19.08 TZS 50.0K

-9.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.03 TZS 39.4K

$26.12 TZS 68.4K

-42.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$111 TZS 291.3K

$114 TZS 297.4K

-2.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$37.52 TZS 98.3K

$76.4 TZS 200.0K

-50.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$187 TZS 489.4K

$187 TZS 491.0K

-0.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 TZS 292.3K

0.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$258 TZS 675.6K

$191 TZS 501.5K

34.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-7.69%

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

Last update for Njombe: October 19, 2026

Last update for Mbeya: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Njombe

–

Mbeya

$115 26.9%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Njombe

–

Mbeya

$89 20.8%

Accommodation & Living

Njombe

–

Mbeya

$76 17.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Njombe

–

Mbeya

$57 13.3%

Eating Out

Njombe

–

Mbeya

$48 * 11.3%

Clothing & Footwear

Njombe

–

Mbeya

$30 7%

Getting Around

Njombe

–

Mbeya

$12 * 2.8%

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $111 in Njombe versus $114 in Mbeya. 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

🇹🇿 Njombe

🇹🇿 Mbeya

🕒 Local time

13:48 1:48 PM

Same time as Njombe

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

92,537

541,603

💱 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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Njombe Mbeya 150 km

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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

Njombe vs Mbeya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mbeya is pricier by about 27%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $503 per month in Njombe and $639 in Mbeya. 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 2% cheaper in Mbeya – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

Kindergarten costs $327 per month in Njombe and $191 in Mbeya. 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 $335 in Njombe and $426 in Mbeya, 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.