Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tanga and Mbeya

For one person, living is cheaper in Tanga: $38.44 a month against $426 in Mbeya, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Mbeya
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Mbeya Living Index

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Tanga

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$38.44

/mo nomad

Mbeya

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$426

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tanga and in Mbeya

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tanga and in Mbeya actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $38.44 per month in Tanga vs $426 in Mbeya, rent included.

Tanga $38.44
Mbeya $426

A couple spends around $55.9 per month in Tanga vs $656 in Mbeya, rent included.

Tanga $55.9
Mbeya $656

A family of three spends $73.3 per month in Tanga vs $887 in Mbeya, rent included.

Tanga $73.3
Mbeya $887

Tanga is about 91% cheaper than Mbeya, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Tanga and Mbeya are more affordable than the global median – Tanga 97% lower, Mbeya 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.49 TZS 3,910

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.68 TZS 59.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.46 TZS 9,065

$7.77 TZS 20.4K

-55.47%

Cappuccino

$0.55 TZS 1,448

$1.52 TZS 3,989

-63.82%

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

$0.29 TZS 758

$0.37 TZS 958

-21.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 TZS 961

$0.37 TZS 964

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.91 TZS 2,391

$0.72 TZS 1,882

26.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 TZS 2,998

Milk (1 liter)

$0.55 TZS 1,435

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 TZS 2,430

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 TZS 2,414

Eggs

$2.32 TZS 6,067

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.80 TZS 9,949

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 TZS 9,734

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.30 TZS 8,643

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 TZS 3,003

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 TZS 2,051

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 TZS 2,581

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 TZS 1,917

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 TZS 2,538

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 TZS 2,053

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 TZS 1,465

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 TZS 1,883

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.14 TZS 2,998

Wine (Bottle)

$3.72 TZS 9,744

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 TZS 2,045

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 TZS 3,038

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 TZS 1,036

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 TZS 2,891

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 TZS 4,834

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 TZS 6,831

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 TZS 3,204

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

$23.68 TZS 62.0K

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

$18.83 TZS 49.3K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.09 TZS 120.7K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.78 TZS 98.9K

Cinema Ticket

$9.50 TZS 24.9K

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

$191 TZS 500.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,129 TZS 3.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.42 TZS 29.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.23 TZS 24.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.08 TZS 50.0K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.12 TZS 68.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$114 TZS 297.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.4 TZS 200.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$187 TZS 491.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 TZS 292.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$191 TZS 501.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Tanga: October 18, 2026

Last update for Mbeya: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Tanga

–

Mbeya

$115 26.9%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tanga

–

Mbeya

$89 20.8%

Accommodation & Living

Tanga

–

Mbeya

$76 17.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Tanga

–

Mbeya

$57 13.3%

Eating Out

Tanga

–

Mbeya

$48 * 11.3%

Clothing & Footwear

Tanga

–

Mbeya

$30 7%

Getting Around

Tanga

–

Mbeya

$12 * 2.8%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Good to know

🇹🇿 Tanga

🇹🇿 Mbeya

🕒 Local time

14:36 2:36 PM

Same time as Tanga

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

393,429

541,603

💱 Currency

Tanzanian Shilling TZS Sh

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 TZS = 3.82 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.4 EUR

10,000 TZS = 3.82 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Tanga Mbeya 750 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Tanga
Mbeya

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Tanga vs Mbeya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mbeya is pricier by about 1008%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $57.7 per month in Tanga and $639 in Mbeya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $38.44 in Tanga and $426 in Mbeya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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