Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zanzibar and Tanga

For one person, living is cheaper in Tanga: $38.44 a month against $579 in Zanzibar, rent and utilities included – about $6,500 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

$579

/mo nomad

Tanga

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$38.44

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zanzibar and in Tanga

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 Tanga actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $579 in Zanzibar versus $38.44 in Tanga.

Zanzibar $579
Tanga $38.44

Estimated couple costs with rent: $864 in Zanzibar versus $55.9 in Tanga.

Zanzibar $864
Tanga $55.9

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,148 in Zanzibar versus $73.3 in Tanga.

Zanzibar $1,148
Tanga $73.3

Living in Zanzibar is roughly 1406% more expensive than in Tanga, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Zanzibar 57% lower, Tanga 97% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 TZS 12.3K

$1.49 TZS 3,910

215.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.08 TZS 57.8K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 TZS 14.6K

$3.46 TZS 9,065

61.56%

Cappuccino

$2.20 TZS 5,769

$0.55 TZS 1,448

300.00%

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

$0.58 TZS 1,520

$0.29 TZS 758

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 TZS 776

$0.37 TZS 961

-18.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 TZS 4,879

$0.91 TZS 2,391

104.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 TZS 6,764

$1.14 TZS 2,998

126.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 TZS 5,521

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 TZS 1,859

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 TZS 2,058

Eggs

$2.71 TZS 7,092

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.58 TZS 19.9K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.21 TZS 5,776

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.87 TZS 15.4K

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 TZS 7,271

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 TZS 3,001

Oranges (1kg)

$0.78 TZS 2,050

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 TZS 1,428

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 TZS 2,351

Onion (1kg)

$1.55 TZS 4,063

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 TZS 2,003

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 TZS 1,274

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 TZS 5,445

Wine (Bottle)

$9.55 TZS 25.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 TZS 3,921

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 TZS 3,536

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 TZS 825

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 TZS 9,672

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 TZS 1,920

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 TZS 6,964

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 TZS 3,180

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

$48.9K TZS 128.1M

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

$74.3 TZS 194.6K

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

$11.29 TZS 29.6K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.43 TZS 126.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.77 TZS 75.3K

Cinema Ticket

$9.26 TZS 24.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.12 TZS 34.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.88 TZS 44.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.05 TZS 39.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$13.05 TZS 34.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$147 TZS 385.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$100 TZS 262.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 TZS 518.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$148 TZS 388.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$37.8K TZS 99.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.5K TZS 30.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$312 TZS 816.7K

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 18, 2026

Last update for Tanga: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Zanzibar

$164 28.3%

Tanga

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Zanzibar

$134 23.2%

Tanga

–

Accommodation & Living

Zanzibar

$100 17.3%

Tanga

–

Eating Out

Zanzibar

$99 17.1%

Tanga

–

Sport & Entertainment

Zanzibar

$47 8.2%

Tanga

–

Clothing & Footwear

Zanzibar

$26 4.5%

Tanga

–

Getting Around

Zanzibar

$8.6 * 1.5%

Tanga

–

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

Good to know

🇹🇿 Zanzibar

🇹🇿 Tanga

🕒 Local time

23:31 11:31 PM

Same time as Zanzibar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

709,809

393,429

💱 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

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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 Tanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tanga is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 1406% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $869 in Zanzibar and $57.7 in Tanga to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Tanga gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Tanga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1406% less than in Zanzibar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.