Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dar es Salaam Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dar es Salaam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $703 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $1,102 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $1,501 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Phuket costs about 80% more than Dar es Salaam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Dar es Salaam are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Dar es Salaam 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$1.85 TZS 4,870

151.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$18.78 TZS 49.4K

71.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$8.46 TZS 22.2K

2.60%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.89 TZS 4,957

53.44%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.35 TZS 915

140.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.22 TZS 579

122.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$0.93 TZS 2,456

166.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$1.84 TZS 4,837

102.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$0.79 TZS 2,077

139.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$0.61 TZS 1,605

131.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.09 TZS 2,860

48.62%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.92 TZS 5,042

16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$9.35 TZS 24.6K

112.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$4.67 TZS 12.3K

-25.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$4.02 TZS 10.6K

182.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.52 TZS 6,621

15.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.01 TZS 2,660

70.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$0.99 TZS 2,614

129.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.05 TZS 2,758

102.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$0.93 TZS 2,434

58.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.01 TZS 2,663

40.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.81 TZS 2,139

35.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.35 TZS 933

71.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$2.30 TZS 6,044

87.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$6.94 TZS 18.2K

168.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$0.84 TZS 2,215

114.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$1.57 TZS 4,121

89.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.24 TZS 626

837.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$14.67 TZS 38.6K

60.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.66 TZS 4,366

86.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$1.53 TZS 4,017

-29.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$13.46 TZS 35.4K

-71.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.33 TZS 3,494

7.52%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$16.7K TZS 43.8M

66.64%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$26.5K TZS 69.6M

1.94%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$56.2 TZS 147.7K

86.51%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$9.00 TZS 23.6K

26.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$34.47 TZS 90.6K

-49.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$83.5 TZS 219.5K

-34.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$8.09 TZS 21.3K

41.41%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$5.22 TZS 13.7K

49.04%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$577 TZS 1.5M

-0.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$13.2K TZS 34.6M

-12.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$14.39 TZS 37.8K

342.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$26.26 TZS 69.0K

10.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$44.87 TZS 118.0K

114.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$65.7 TZS 172.7K

37.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$605 TZS 1.6M

21.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$198 TZS 519.3K

153.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$1,374 TZS 3.6M

54.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$444 TZS 1.2M

181.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$1,540 TZS 4.0M

129.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$1,076 TZS 2.8M

143.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$283 TZS 743.9K

79.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

18.25

-69.48%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Dar es Salaam: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $605 in Dar es Salaam. 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 79% higher in Phuket, 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $19.00 in Dar es Salaam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $151 – making Dar es Salaam 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

Phuket vs Dar es Salaam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 80%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,055 in Dar es Salaam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $576 per month in Phuket and $577 in Dar es Salaam. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 82% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dar es Salaam, where all-in costs run around $703, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Dar es Salaam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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