Cost of living in Tanzania
Summary of cost of living in Tanzania
- Family of four estimated monthly costs: 3,209,484 Shilling
- Single person estimated monthly costs: 1,365,729 Shilling WARNING! These estimates are based on data that may have some inconsistencies at the moment. They already provide a decent estimate but they are not currently bullet-proof.
Food | |||
---|---|---|---|
Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district | 11,171 Shilling | ||
Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) | 15,000 Shilling | ||
500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast | 8,471 Shilling | ||
1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk | 3,500 Shilling | ||
12 eggs, large | 4,200 Shilling | ||
1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes | 1,000 Shilling | ||
500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese | 10,000 Shilling | ||
1 kg (2 lb.) of apples | 2,000 Shilling | ||
1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes | 2,000 Shilling | ||
0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket | 1,830 Shilling | ||
1 bottle of red table wine, good quality | 12,000 Shilling | ||
2 liters of coca-cola | 2,500 Shilling | ||
Bread for 2 people for 1 day | 1,000 Shilling | ||
Housing | |||
Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in expensive area | 1,000,000 Shilling | ||
Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in normal area | 500,000 Shilling | ||
Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat | 200,000 Shilling | ||
Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in expensive area | 500,000 Shilling | ||
Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in normal area | 250,000 Shilling | ||
Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 sqft) studio | 200,000 Shilling | ||
Internet 8 mbps (1 month) | 41,217 Shilling | ||
40” flat screen tv | 2,000,000 Shilling | ||
Microwave 800/900 watt (bosch, panasonic, lg, sharp, or equivalent brands) | 100,000 Shilling | ||
Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) | 45,000 Shilling | ||
Hourly rate for cleaning help | - | ||
Clothes | |||
1 pair of jeans (levis 501 or similar) | 24,996 Shilling | ||
1 summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) | 18,800 Shilling | ||
1 pair of sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) | 46,367 Shilling | ||
1 pair of men’s leather business shoes | 27,676 Shilling | ||
Transportation | |||
Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new | 4,000,000 Shilling | ||
1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas | 2,813 Shilling | ||
Monthly ticket public transport | 26,840 Shilling | ||
Personal Care | |||
Cold medicine for 6 days (tylenol, frenadol, coldrex, or equivalent brands) | - | ||
1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) | 10,000 Shilling | ||
Short visit to private doctor (15 minutes) | 50,000 Shilling | ||
1 box of 32 tampons (tampax, ob, ...) | 14,325 Shilling | ||
Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) | 6,686 Shilling | ||
Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) | 6,309 Shilling | ||
4 rolls of toilet paper | 3,940 Shilling | ||
Tube of toothpaste | 1,600 Shilling | ||
Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city | 13,627 Shilling | ||
Entertainment | |||
Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub | 18,093 Shilling | ||
2 tickets to the movies | 14,943 Shilling | ||
2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) | - | ||
Dinner for two at an italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert | 72,855 Shilling | ||
1 cocktail drink in downtown club | 13,936 Shilling | ||
Cappuccino in expat area of the city | 5,000 Shilling | ||
1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) | 4,268 Shilling | ||
Ipad wi-fi 128gb | 200,000 Shilling | ||
1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) | 100 Shilling | ||
1 month of gym membership in business district | 30,000 Shilling | ||
1 package of marlboro cigarettes | 6,369 Shilling |
Map of Cost of Living in Tanzania

This map shows only the top cities in Tanzania. We also have on this page a list of all the cities available in Expatistan:
List of all the cities available in Expatistan
The color of each marker corresponds with the cost of living in the city red markers show more expensive cities green ones show cheaper cities
Moving the mouse on top of a city will show its name and the Cost of Living Index of that city.
What is the Cost of Living Index? To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a
central reference city (that happens to be Prague).
Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the
database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.
Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
Recent Comparisons
- Cost of living in Zanzibar is 4% cheaper than in Pretoria
- Cost of living in Dodoma is about the same as in Kampala
- Cost of living in Zanzibar is 8% cheaper than in Johannesburg
- Cost of living in Dar es Salaam is 53% cheaper than in Nashville, Tennessee
- Cost of living in Dar es Salaam is 36% cheaper than in El Paso, Texas
- Cost of living in Dar es Salaam is 94% cheaper than in Mogadishu
- Cost of living in Zanzibar is 11% cheaper than in Nairobi
- Cost of living in Dar es Salaam is 11% cheaper than in Nairobi
- Cost of living in Dodoma is about the same as in Tallinn
- Cost of living in Dar es Salaam is 16% cheaper than in Port Louis
- Cost of living in Arusha is about the same as in Dar es Salaam
- Cost of living in Zanzibar is about the same as in Oradea
- Cost of living in Arusha is 7% cheaper than in Gijón
- Cost of living in Arusha is 15% cheaper than in Grand Rapids
- Cost of living in Arusha is about the same as in Nairobi
- Cost of living in Dar es Salaam is 58% cheaper than in Toronto
- Cost of living in Zanzibar is 13% cheaper than in Phuket
- Cost of living in Zanzibar is about the same as in Viet Tri
- Cost of living in Dar es Salaam is 39% more expensive than in Jaipur
- Cost of living in Zanzibar is 13% more expensive than in Cairo