Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zanzibar and Mwanza

For one person, living is cheaper in Mwanza: $185 a month against $581 in Zanzibar, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Zanzibar
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Zanzibar Living Index

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Zanzibar

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$581

/mo nomad

Mwanza

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zanzibar and in Mwanza

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

A single person spends $581 per month in Zanzibar vs $185 in Mwanza, rent included.

Zanzibar $581
Mwanza $185

A couple spends around $865 per month in Zanzibar vs $291 in Mwanza, rent included.

Zanzibar $865
Mwanza $291

A family of three spends $1,150 per month in Zanzibar vs $396 in Mwanza, rent included.

Zanzibar $1,150
Mwanza $396

Zanzibar costs about 214% more than Mwanza, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Zanzibar and Mwanza are more affordable than the global median – Zanzibar 57% lower, Mwanza 86% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 TZS 12.1K

$2.41 TZS 6,302

92.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.81 TZS 57.0K

$15.09 TZS 39.4K

44.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 TZS 14.5K

$4.45 TZS 11.6K

24.72%

Cappuccino

$2.11 TZS 5,502

$2.57 TZS 6,712

-17.90%

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

$0.58 TZS 1,527

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 TZS 801

$0.27 TZS 695

14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 TZS 4,861

$0.96 TZS 2,517

93.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 TZS 6,848

$1.28 TZS 3,346

104.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 TZS 5,493

$0.91 TZS 2,375

130.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 TZS 1,985

$1.55 TZS 4,059

-50.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 TZS 2,099

$0.98 TZS 2,566

-18.37%

Eggs

$2.67 TZS 6,974

$2.05 TZS 5,354

30.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.36 TZS 19.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.22 TZS 5,803

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.91 TZS 15.4K

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 TZS 7,221

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 TZS 2,901

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 TZS 1,920

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 TZS 1,432

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 TZS 2,599

$0.96 TZS 2,518

4.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 TZS 4,004

$1.33 TZS 3,477

15.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 TZS 2,082

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 TZS 1,275

$0.40 TZS 1,034

22.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 TZS 5,599

Wine (Bottle)

$9.40 TZS 24.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 TZS 4,005

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 TZS 3,355

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 TZS 821

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 TZS 9,715

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 TZS 2,041

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 TZS 7,075

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 TZS 3,272

$1.53 TZS 3,992

-18.30%

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

$50.5K TZS 131.7M

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

$74.8 TZS 195.3K

$65.9 TZS 172.0K

13.57%

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

$11.29 TZS 29.5K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.1 TZS 130.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.86 TZS 78.0K

Cinema Ticket

$9.51 TZS 24.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.91 TZS 33.7K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.77 TZS 43.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.19 TZS 39.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$13.00 TZS 33.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$152 TZS 398.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$100 TZS 261.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 TZS 526.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 TZS 392.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$37.9K TZS 98.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.2K TZS 29.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$320 TZS 836.7K

$190 TZS 495.4K

68.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Zanzibar: October 26, 2026

Last update for Mwanza: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Zanzibar

$164 28.2%

Mwanza

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Zanzibar

$136 23.4%

Mwanza

–

Accommodation & Living

Zanzibar

$100 17.2%

Mwanza

–

Eating Out

Zanzibar

$97 16.7%

Mwanza

–

Sport & Entertainment

Zanzibar

$49 8.4%

Mwanza

–

Clothing & Footwear

Zanzibar

$26 4.5%

Mwanza

–

Getting Around

Zanzibar

$8.9 * 1.5%

Mwanza

–

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 69% higher in Zanzibar, 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 in Zanzibar versus $15 in Mwanza. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $164 vs $47 – making Mwanza the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇿 Zanzibar

🇹🇿 Mwanza

🕒 Local time

02:46 2:46 AM

Same time as Zanzibar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

709,809

1,104,521

💱 Currency

Tanzanian Shilling TZS Sh

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 TZS = 3.83 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.44 EUR

10,000 TZS = 3.83 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.44 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Zanzibar Mwanza 810 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Zanzibar
Mwanza

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

Zanzibar vs Mwanza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Zanzibar is pricier by about 214%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $871 per month in Zanzibar and $277 in Mwanza. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 248% more in Zanzibar, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22 in Zanzibar and $15 in Mwanza. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $581 in Zanzibar and $185 in Mwanza, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Zanzibar has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $185 in Mwanza to $581 in Zanzibar. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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