Cost of Living Comparison Between Njombe and Zanzibar Cost of Living Comparison Between Njombe and Zanzibar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $341 in Njombe versus $451 in Zanzibar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $510 in Njombe versus $702 in Zanzibar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $680 in Njombe versus $954 in Zanzibar.

Living in Njombe costs roughly 24% less than in Zanzibar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Njombe 75% lower, Zanzibar 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.87 TZS 12.6K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.38 TZS 57.7K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.83 TZS 15.0K

Cappuccino

$2.18 TZS 5,635

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

$0.60 TZS 1,539

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 TZS 792

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 TZS 5,011

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 TZS 7,141

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 TZS 2,604

$1.77 TZS 4,574

-42.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 TZS 1,557

$0.74 TZS 1,897

-18.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 TZS 2,406

$0.87 TZS 2,236

6.90%

Eggs

$1.37 TZS 3,535

$2.87 TZS 7,396

-52.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.85 TZS 9,924

$2.28 TZS 5,872

68.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.05 TZS 7,878

$4.75 TZS 12.2K

-35.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.59 TZS 4,106

$2.92 TZS 7,541

-45.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 TZS 4,459

$1.13 TZS 2,908

53.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 TZS 4,669

$0.75 TZS 1,943

141.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 TZS 2,511

$0.59 TZS 1,530

64.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 TZS 3,540

$0.93 TZS 2,386

47.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 TZS 6,403

$1.58 TZS 4,062

56.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.37 TZS 961

$0.74 TZS 1,916

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 TZS 974

$0.46 TZS 1,184

-17.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.77 TZS 4,557

$2.11 TZS 5,442

-16.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$1.88 TZS 4,846

$9.55 TZS 24.6K

-80.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 TZS 3,542

$1.75 TZS 4,520

-21.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 TZS 5,334

$1.31 TZS 3,387

58.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 TZS 667

$0.65 TZS 1,664

-60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.36 TZS 52.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 TZS 4,071

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 TZS 2,882

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.68 TZS 14.7K

$2.76 TZS 7,125

105.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 TZS 3,263

$1.20 TZS 3,101

5.83%

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

$18.6K TZS 48.0M

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

$11.8K TZS 30.5M

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

$21.57 TZS 55.6K

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

$15.20 TZS 39.2K

$10.46 TZS 27.0K

45.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 TZS 149.3K

$22.74 TZS 58.6K

154.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.78 TZS 58.8K

$21.24 TZS 54.8K

7.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.51 TZS 19.4K

Cinema Ticket

$3.94 TZS 10.2K

$9.42 TZS 24.3K

-58.17%

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

$325 TZS 837.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.55 TZS 40.1K

$13.26 TZS 34.2K

17.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.90 TZS 53.9K

$17.44 TZS 45.0K

19.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$17.12 TZS 44.2K

$15.26 TZS 39.3K

12.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.59 TZS 40.2K

$13.76 TZS 35.5K

13.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 TZS 304.5K

$148 TZS 382.9K

-20.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$38.33 TZS 98.9K

$99.0 TZS 255.4K

-61.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$190 TZS 489.1K

$202 TZS 520.2K

-5.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 TZS 294.7K

$150 TZS 386.0K

-23.65%

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)

$262 TZS 676.0K

$324 TZS 834.5K

-18.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.00%

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

Last update for Njombe: June 1, 2026

Last update for Zanzibar: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $118 in Njombe and $148 in Zanzibar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zanzibar pays 23% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 Zanzibar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Njombe and Zanzibar differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($341 vs $451 including rent). Njombe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Zanzibar earns 23% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $118 in Njombe versus $148 in Zanzibar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Zanzibar. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $341 per month in Njombe versus $451 in Zanzibar – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Njombe gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Njombe and Zanzibar are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Njombe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Zanzibar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.