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 $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $871 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,393 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $1,914 in Dar es Salaam, rent included.

Phuket costs about 41% 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$2.79 TZS 7,210

65.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$19.41 TZS 50.2K

141.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$7.93 TZS 20.5K

11.48%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.95 TZS 5,053

53.85%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.39 TZS 1,003

89.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.22 TZS 568

68.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.07 TZS 2,778

128.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$1.95 TZS 5,038

85.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.08 TZS 2,790

109.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.81 TZS 2,108

127.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.12 TZS 2,911

100.00%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.97 TZS 5,112

17.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$9.46 TZS 24.5K

107.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$5.83 TZS 15.1K

-37.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$4.37 TZS 11.3K

199.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$2.61 TZS 6,764

29.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.05 TZS 2,724

56.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.05 TZS 2,729

129.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.04 TZS 2,702

95.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.94 TZS 2,441

65.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.53 TZS 3,968

-1.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.91 TZS 2,350

12.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.44 TZS 1,138

11.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$2.04 TZS 5,289

118.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$6.44 TZS 16.7K

193.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.97 TZS 2,502

83.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.62 TZS 4,205

69.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.26 TZS 673

438.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$17.10 TZS 44.3K

-32.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$1.49 TZS 3,852

109.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.51 TZS 3,897

-33.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$13.43 TZS 34.8K

4.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.25 TZS 3,244

8.00%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$16.8K TZS 43.5M

61.88%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$17.2K TZS 44.6M

91.31%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$98.3 TZS 254.5K

27.13%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$10.90 TZS 28.2K

24.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$31.96 TZS 82.7K

-42.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$95.7 TZS 247.7K

-35.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$4.79 TZS 12.4K

251.57%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$4.75 TZS 12.3K

93.47%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$253 TZS 655.0K

175.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$19.3K TZS 49.9M

-19.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$25.75 TZS 66.7K

124.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$41.74 TZS 108.1K

-15.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$46.25 TZS 119.7K

144.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$85.7 TZS 221.8K

0.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$592 TZS 1.5M

4.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$256 TZS 663.1K

74.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$1,299 TZS 3.4M

57.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$646 TZS 1.7M

130.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$1,522 TZS 3.9M

148.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$1,105 TZS 2.9M

139.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$263 TZS 681.9K

98.85%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Dar es Salaam: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $592 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 99% 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: $292 vs $167 – 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 41%, 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,307 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 $698 per month in Phuket and $253 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 75% 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 $871, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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.