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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Zanzibar is about 36% cheaper than Tehran, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.87 TZS 12.6K

$3.89 $3.89

25.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.38 TZS 57.7K

$18.06 $18.06

23.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.83 TZS 15.0K

$5.06 $5.06

15.22%

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

$2.18 TZS 5,635

$1.30 $1.30

67.69%

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

$0.60 TZS 1,539

$0.45 $0.45

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 TZS 792

$1.03 $1.03

-69.90%

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)

$1.77 TZS 4,574

$0.59 $0.59

200.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 TZS 1,897

$0.57 $0.57

29.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 TZS 2,236

$1.87 $1.87

-53.48%

Eggs

$2.87 TZS 7,396

$1.16 $1.16

147.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.28 TZS 5,872

$3.24 $3.24

-29.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.75 TZS 12.2K

$10.93 $10.93

-56.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 TZS 7,541

$0.88 $0.88

231.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 TZS 2,908

$1.42 $1.42

-20.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.75 TZS 1,943

$0.81 $0.81

-7.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 TZS 1,530

$0.67 $0.67

-11.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 TZS 2,386

$0.55 $0.55

69.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 TZS 4,062

$0.50 $0.50

216.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 TZS 1,916

$0.58 $0.58

27.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 TZS 1,184

$0.23 $0.23

100.00%

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)

$2.11 TZS 5,442

$2.57 $2.57

-17.90%

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)

$0.65 TZS 1,664

$0.24 $0.24

170.83%

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)

$2.76 TZS 7,125

$3.07 $3.07

-10.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 TZS 3,101

$0.76 $0.76

57.89%

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)

$10.46 TZS 27.0K

$2.18 $2.18

379.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.74 TZS 58.6K

$5.66 $5.66

301.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.24 TZS 54.8K

$23.05 $23.05

-7.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.87 $11.87

Cinema Ticket

$9.42 TZS 24.3K

$1.54 $1.54

511.69%

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)

$13.26 TZS 34.2K

$30.87 $30.87

-57.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.44 TZS 45.0K

$34.04 $34.04

-48.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.26 TZS 39.3K

$122 $122

-87.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$13.76 TZS 35.5K

$70.4 $70.4

-80.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$148 TZS 382.9K

$489 $489

-69.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.0 TZS 255.4K

$336 $336

-70.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 TZS 520.2K

$1,020 $1,020

-80.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 TZS 386.0K

$709 $709

-78.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$38.5K TZS 99.3M

$1,265 $1,265

2942.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.4K TZS 29.3M

$817 $817

1292.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$324 TZS 834.5K

$211 $211

53.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

25.07

-60.11%

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

Last update for Zanzibar: June 2, 2026

Last update for Tehran: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $148 in Zanzibar versus $489 in Tehran. 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 $22.00 in Zanzibar versus $18.00 in Tehran. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $138 vs $110 – making Tehran 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 Tehran: 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 $676 per month in Zanzibar and $1,065 in Tehran. 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 $22.00 in Zanzibar and $18.00 in Tehran. 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 $451 in Zanzibar and $710 in Tehran, 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.