Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Tanzania Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Tanzania

Name: Tanzania
Address: TZ

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,143 per month in South Africa vs $250 in Tanzania, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,781 per month in South Africa vs $395 in Tanzania, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,419 per month in South Africa vs $539 in Tanzania, rent included.

The cost of living in South Africa is about 357% higher than in Tanzania on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both South Africa and Tanzania are more affordable than the global median – South Africa 17% lower, Tanzania 82% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.30 R 182

$2.04 TZS 5,367

453.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.51 R 717

$18.75 TZS 49.3K

137.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.90 R 95.0

$7.36 TZS 19.4K

-19.84%

Cappuccino

$2.44 R 39.22

$1.95 TZS 5,117

25.13%

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

$1.16 R 18.64

$0.39 TZS 1,015

197.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.39

$0.25 TZS 660

284.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 R 41.29

$0.91 TZS 2,383

181.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 R 49.60

$1.84 TZS 4,846

67.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 R 20.57

$0.89 TZS 2,334

43.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 R 18.15

$0.70 TZS 1,845

61.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 R 29.55

$1.04 TZS 2,734

75.96%

Eggs

$2.55 R 41.12

$2.08 TZS 5,475

22.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.35 R 134

$8.05 TZS 21.2K

3.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 R 87.6

$4.40 TZS 11.6K

23.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.88 R 127

$3.91 TZS 10.3K

101.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 R 30.61

$2.29 TZS 6,019

-17.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.36

$1.03 TZS 2,717

65.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 R 29.14

$0.91 TZS 2,384

98.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 R 30.23

$0.96 TZS 2,535

95.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 R 24.76

$0.84 TZS 2,210

83.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.03

$1.13 TZS 2,976

31.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 R 21.45

$0.65 TZS 1,701

104.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 R 19.09

$0.40 TZS 1,044

197.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 R 55.0

$1.92 TZS 5,054

77.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.08 R 81.7

$5.52 TZS 14.5K

-7.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 R 24.28

$1.00 TZS 2,620

51.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 R 32.64

$1.42 TZS 3,745

42.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 R 28.39

$0.26 TZS 686

576.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.1 R 1,016

$14.79 TZS 38.9K

326.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 R 17.97

$1.72 TZS 4,533

-34.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 R 16.33

$1.48 TZS 3,880

-31.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 R 130

$13.07 TZS 34.4K

-38.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 R 23.53

$1.31 TZS 3,438

11.45%

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

$36.8K R 592.8K

$17.1K TZS 44.9M

115.48%

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

$32.5K R 523.6K

$25.1K TZS 66.1M

29.41%

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

$136 R 2,185

$54.6 TZS 143.6K

148.45%

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

$35.72 R 575

$10.07 TZS 26.5K

254.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.40 R 667

$39.27 TZS 103.2K

5.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.96 R 563

$63.4 TZS 166.7K

-44.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.46 R 201

$6.37 TZS 16.8K

95.60%

Cinema Ticket

$7.62 R 123

$5.77 TZS 15.2K

32.06%

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

$231 R 3,725

$529 TZS 1.4M

-56.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,726 R 92.2K

$11.0K TZS 28.8M

-47.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 R 908

$13.67 TZS 35.9K

312.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.91 R 546

$23.21 TZS 61.0K

46.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 R 1,639

$37.28 TZS 98.0K

172.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.0 R 1,497

$49.23 TZS 129.4K

88.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 R 8,154

$430 TZS 1.1M

17.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 R 6,727

$155 TZS 406.4K

170.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$979 R 15.8K

$764 TZS 2.0M

28.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$838 R 13.5K

$273 TZS 718.1K

206.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,151 R 18.5K

$1,563 TZS 4.1M

-26.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$800 R 12.9K

$1,072 TZS 2.8M

-25.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,554 R 25.0K

$243 TZS 639.2K

539.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.24

14.5

-22.48%

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

Last update for South Africa: September 8, 2026

Last update for Tanzania: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average salary: $1,553 in South Africa vs $235 in Tanzania. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 443% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 344% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 750% more expensive in South Africa.

Salaries are 561% higher in South Africa, and purchasing power comes out stronger in South Africa.

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

South Africa vs Tanzania: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tanzania is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 250% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in South Africa, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but South Africa consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Tanzania, contributing to the overall 250% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$800 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Tanzania, but in South Africa it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Tanzania is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.