Cost of Living Comparison Between Zanzibar and Morogoro Cost of Living Comparison Between Zanzibar and Morogoro

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $439 per month in Zanzibar vs $440 in Morogoro, rent included.

A couple spends around $701 per month in Zanzibar vs $702 in Morogoro, rent included.

A family of three spends $962 per month in Zanzibar vs $964 in Morogoro, rent included.

Zanzibar and Morogoro have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.77 TZS 12.5K

$2.81 TZS 7,385

69.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.31 TZS 58.5K

$19.18 TZS 50.3K

16.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 TZS 15.3K

$7.94 TZS 20.8K

-26.45%

Cappuccino

$2.27 TZS 5,963

$2.02 TZS 5,301

12.38%

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

$0.60 TZS 1,587

$0.35 TZS 925

71.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 TZS 880

$0.22 TZS 575

54.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 TZS 4,978

$1.03 TZS 2,707

84.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 TZS 7,051

$1.90 TZS 4,988

41.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 TZS 4,452

$0.78 TZS 2,052

117.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 TZS 1,921

$0.38 TZS 990

92.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 TZS 2,292

$0.94 TZS 2,463

-7.45%

Eggs

$2.87 TZS 7,534

$1.87 TZS 4,912

53.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.49 TZS 24.9K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.36 TZS 6,194

$4.59 TZS 12.0K

-48.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.76 TZS 12.5K

$3.83 TZS 10.1K

24.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 TZS 7,715

$1.18 TZS 3,092

149.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 TZS 3,116

$0.56 TZS 1,459

112.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.80 TZS 2,101

$0.56 TZS 1,464

42.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 TZS 1,471

$0.37 TZS 973

51.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 TZS 2,475

$0.79 TZS 2,072

18.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 TZS 3,946

$0.59 TZS 1,550

154.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 TZS 2,068

$0.89 TZS 2,348

-11.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 TZS 1,311

$0.26 TZS 675

92.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.02 TZS 5,289

$1.57 TZS 4,123

28.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.65 TZS 25.3K

$5.07 TZS 13.3K

90.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 TZS 4,690

$0.80 TZS 2,091

123.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 TZS 3,438

$1.63 TZS 4,276

-19.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 TZS 1,666

$0.30 TZS 782

110.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.27 TZS 21.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 TZS 3,735

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 TZS 1,522

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.77 TZS 7,270

$13.71 TZS 36.0K

-79.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 TZS 3,036

$0.74 TZS 1,929

56.76%

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

$16.9K TZS 44.5M

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

$17.1K TZS 44.9M

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

$97.3 TZS 255.4K

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

$10.36 TZS 27.2K

$10.69 TZS 28.0K

-3.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.93 TZS 60.2K

$32.52 TZS 85.3K

-29.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.02 TZS 55.2K

$11.54 TZS 30.3K

82.15%

Cinema Ticket

$9.71 TZS 25.5K

$4.77 TZS 12.5K

103.56%

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

$258 TZS 677.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,840 TZS 20.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.39 TZS 35.1K

$7.51 TZS 19.7K

78.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.69 TZS 46.4K

$42.25 TZS 110.9K

-58.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.19 TZS 39.9K

$47.10 TZS 123.6K

-67.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$13.73 TZS 36.0K

$19.19 TZS 50.3K

-28.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$149 TZS 390.6K

$76.6 TZS 201.0K

94.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 TZS 266.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 TZS 529.6K

$195 TZS 511.1K

3.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 TZS 392.5K

$95.4 TZS 250.2K

56.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$37.5K TZS 98.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.5K TZS 30.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$316 TZS 829.5K

$299 TZS 784.1K

5.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.67

-49.16%

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

Last update for Zanzibar: July 12, 2026

Last update for Morogoro: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $149 in Zanzibar versus $76.6 in Morogoro. 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 6% higher in Zanzibar. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Zanzibar versus $19.00 in Morogoro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $139 vs $127 – making Morogoro 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 Morogoro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $659 per month in Zanzibar and $660 in Morogoro. 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 10% cheaper in Morogoro – 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 $22.00 in Zanzibar and $19.00 in Morogoro. 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 $439 in Zanzibar and $440 in Morogoro, 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, Morogoro makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.