Cost of Living Comparison Between Tehran and Zanzibar Cost of Living Comparison Between Tehran and Zanzibar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $710 per month in Tehran vs $451 in Zanzibar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,139 per month in Tehran vs $702 in Zanzibar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,569 per month in Tehran vs $954 in Zanzibar, rent included.

Tehran costs about 57% more than Zanzibar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tehran and Zanzibar are more affordable than the global median – Tehran 47% lower, Zanzibar 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.89 $3.89

$4.87 TZS 12.6K

-20.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.06 $18.06

$22.38 TZS 57.7K

-19.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 $5.06

$5.83 TZS 15.0K

-13.21%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.62 $0.62

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

Cappuccino

$1.30 $1.30

$2.18 TZS 5,635

-40.37%

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

$0.45 $0.45

$0.60 TZS 1,539

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.31 TZS 792

232.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 TZS 5,011

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 TZS 7,141

Milk (1 liter)

$0.59 $0.59

$1.77 TZS 4,574

-66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 $0.57

$0.74 TZS 1,897

-22.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$0.87 TZS 2,236

114.94%

Eggs

$1.16 $1.16

$2.87 TZS 7,396

-59.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.28 TZS 5,872

42.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.93 $10.93

$4.75 TZS 12.2K

130.11%

Apples (1kg)

$0.88 $0.88

$2.92 TZS 7,541

-69.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.13 TZS 2,908

25.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.75 TZS 1,943

8.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.67 $0.67

$0.59 TZS 1,530

13.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 $0.55

$0.93 TZS 2,386

-40.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 $0.50

$1.58 TZS 4,062

-68.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 $0.58

$0.74 TZS 1,916

-21.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.23 $0.23

$0.46 TZS 1,184

-50.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.62 $0.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 $0.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 $1.61

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.11 TZS 5,442

21.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.55 TZS 24.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 TZS 4,520

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 TZS 3,387

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 $0.24

$0.65 TZS 1,664

-63.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.95 $9.95

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.52 $0.52

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 $0.31

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.76 TZS 7,125

11.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.20 TZS 3,101

-36.67%

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

$81.4K $81.4K

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

$55.9K $55.9K

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

$15.74 $15.74

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

$2.18 $2.18

$10.46 TZS 27.0K

-79.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.66 $5.66

$22.74 TZS 58.6K

-75.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.05 $23.05

$21.24 TZS 54.8K

8.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.87 $11.87

Cinema Ticket

$1.54 $1.54

$9.42 TZS 24.3K

-83.65%

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

$125 $125

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,001 $2,001

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.87 $30.87

$13.26 TZS 34.2K

132.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.04 $34.04

$17.44 TZS 45.0K

95.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 $122

$15.26 TZS 39.3K

696.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 $70.4

$13.76 TZS 35.5K

411.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$489 $489

$148 TZS 382.9K

229.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 $336

$99.0 TZS 255.4K

238.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 $1,020

$202 TZS 520.2K

405.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 $709

$150 TZS 386.0K

374.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,265 $1,265

$38.5K TZS 99.3M

-96.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$817 $817

$11.4K TZS 29.3M

-92.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$211 $211

$324 TZS 834.5K

-34.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

25.07

150.70%

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

Last update for Tehran: May 31, 2026

Last update for Zanzibar: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $489 in Tehran versus $148 in Zanzibar. 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 53% higher in Zanzibar, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Tehran versus $22.00 in Zanzibar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $110 vs $138 – making Tehran the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Tehran vs Zanzibar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tehran is pricier by about 57%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,065 per month in Tehran and $676 in Zanzibar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% cheaper in Tehran – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Tehran and $22.00 in Zanzibar. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $710 in Tehran and $451 in Zanzibar, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Zanzibar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Zanzibar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tehran makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.