Cost of Living Comparison Between Zanzibar and Hyderabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Zanzibar and Hyderabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $439 per month in Zanzibar vs $520 in Hyderabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $701 per month in Zanzibar vs $856 in Hyderabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $962 per month in Zanzibar vs $1,191 in Hyderabad, rent included.

Zanzibar is about 16% cheaper than Hyderabad, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Zanzibar and Hyderabad are more affordable than the global median – Zanzibar 67% lower, Hyderabad 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.77 TZS 12.5K

$3.39 ₹326

40.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.31 TZS 58.5K

$17.77 ₹1,711

25.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 TZS 15.3K

$5.29 ₹509

10.40%

Cappuccino

$2.27 TZS 5,963

$2.00 ₹192

13.50%

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

$0.60 TZS 1,587

$0.42 ₹40.20

42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 TZS 880

$0.18 ₹17.16

88.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 TZS 4,978

$2.13 ₹205

-10.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 TZS 7,051

$3.45 ₹332

-22.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 TZS 4,452

$0.86 ₹83.2

97.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 TZS 1,921

$0.56 ₹54.4

30.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 TZS 2,292

$0.71 ₹68.8

22.54%

Eggs

$2.87 TZS 7,534

$1.03 ₹99.6

178.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.33 ₹610

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.36 TZS 6,194

$3.89 ₹375

-39.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.76 TZS 12.5K

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 TZS 7,715

$2.77 ₹267

6.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 TZS 3,116

$0.72 ₹69.2

65.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.80 TZS 2,101

$1.03 ₹99.4

-22.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 TZS 1,471

$0.47 ₹45.55

19.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 TZS 2,475

$0.46 ₹44.07

104.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 TZS 3,946

$0.52 ₹49.79

188.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 TZS 2,068

$0.71 ₹68.1

11.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 TZS 1,311

$0.33 ₹32.19

51.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.02 TZS 5,289

$4.19 ₹403

-51.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.65 TZS 25.3K

$9.00 ₹867

7.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 TZS 4,690

$1.98 ₹190

-9.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 TZS 3,438

$2.96 ₹285

-55.74%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$6.65 ₹641

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 TZS 1,666

$0.59 ₹57.1

6.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.83 ₹1,428

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 ₹109

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ₹34.17

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.77 TZS 7,270

$1.61 ₹155

72.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 TZS 3,036

$1.29 ₹124

-10.08%

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

$17.4K ₹1.7M

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

$24.5K ₹2.4M

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

$39.58 ₹3,811

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

$10.36 TZS 27.2K

$4.51 ₹435

129.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.93 TZS 60.2K

$8.45 ₹813

171.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.02 TZS 55.2K

$21.27 ₹2,048

-1.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.68 ₹739

Cinema Ticket

$9.71 TZS 25.5K

$4.15 ₹399

133.98%

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

$114 ₹10.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,568 ₹247.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.39 TZS 35.1K

$30.43 ₹2,930

-56.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.69 TZS 46.4K

$24.00 ₹2,311

-26.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.19 TZS 39.9K

$47.58 ₹4,581

-68.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$13.73 TZS 36.0K

$37.43 ₹3,604

-63.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$149 TZS 390.6K

$234 ₹22.6K

-36.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 TZS 266.1K

$138 ₹13.3K

-26.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 TZS 529.6K

$629 ₹60.6K

-67.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 TZS 392.5K

$331 ₹31.9K

-54.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$37.5K TZS 98.5M

$1,384 ₹133.3K

2611.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.5K TZS 30.1M

$772 ₹74.3K

1388.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$316 TZS 829.5K

$1,252 ₹120.6K

-74.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.19

8.81%

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

Last update for Zanzibar: July 12, 2026

Last update for Hyderabad: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $149 in Zanzibar versus $234 in Hyderabad. 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 296% higher in Hyderabad, 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 $22.00 in Zanzibar versus $18.00 in Hyderabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $139 vs $127 – making Hyderabad 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

Zanzibar vs Hyderabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hyderabad costs about 18% more than Zanzibar, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $659 per month in Zanzibar and $780 in Hyderabad. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $439 in Zanzibar and $520 in Hyderabad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Hyderabad – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $439 in Zanzibar and $520 in Hyderabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Zanzibar costs $439 versus $520 in Hyderabad. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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