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 $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $877 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,409 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $1,941 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Phuket costs about 44% more than Dar es Salaam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Dar es Salaam are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Dar es Salaam 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$2.85 TZS 7,431

60.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$19.20 TZS 50.1K

142.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$7.65 TZS 20.0K

10.72%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.02 TZS 5,274

50.00%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.35 TZS 922

97.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.24 TZS 628

54.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.09 TZS 2,839

128.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.92 TZS 5,005

90.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.02 TZS 2,672

113.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.79 TZS 2,051

140.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.08 TZS 2,826

103.70%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.08 TZS 5,438

6.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$9.33 TZS 24.3K

114.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$5.69 TZS 14.8K

-35.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$4.28 TZS 11.2K

209.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.58 TZS 6,720

25.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.05 TZS 2,749

61.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.02 TZS 2,663

134.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.03 TZS 2,699

101.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.96 TZS 2,506

65.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.50 TZS 3,926

-1.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.90 TZS 2,339

14.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.40 TZS 1,053

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$2.05 TZS 5,345

107.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$6.91 TZS 18.0K

171.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$0.90 TZS 2,342

95.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.65 TZS 4,309

67.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.24 TZS 622

466.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$17.36 TZS 45.3K

-34.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$1.47 TZS 3,843

113.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.50 TZS 3,908

-30.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$13.64 TZS 35.6K

0.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.21 TZS 3,154

10.74%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$17.0K TZS 44.4M

62.80%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$17.5K TZS 45.5M

94.01%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$98.3 TZS 256.4K

25.77%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$10.67 TZS 27.8K

26.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$32.44 TZS 84.6K

-42.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$95.6 TZS 249.5K

-35.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$4.90 TZS 12.8K

252.04%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$4.93 TZS 12.9K

85.40%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$255 TZS 664.1K

176.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$18.9K TZS 49.4M

-16.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$26.15 TZS 68.2K

127.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$42.61 TZS 111.2K

-17.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$46.76 TZS 122.0K

146.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$83.0 TZS 216.6K

1.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$579 TZS 1.5M

6.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$257 TZS 669.8K

68.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$1,291 TZS 3.4M

59.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$654 TZS 1.7M

130.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$1,521 TZS 4.0M

139.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$1,105 TZS 2.9M

137.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$282 TZS 736.2K

79.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

19.67

-72.90%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Dar es Salaam: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $579 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 80% 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $19.00 in Dar es Salaam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $164 – 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 44%, 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 $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,315 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 $703 per month in Phuket and $255 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 78% 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 $877, than in Phuket at $1,261. 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.