πŸ’š
#139 Worldwide

Dar es Salaam Cost of Living 2026

Tanzania β€’ Africa

Anchor Cost Index

14

Very Affordable

#139
of 160 cities
14%
More expensive than
#9
in Africa
Very Affordable
Cost Level

πŸ“‰Anchor Price Breakdown β€” vs Global Average

πŸ”Big Mac
$3.00-27%
Dar es SalaamGlobal avg: $4.09
🏠1BR Rent
$368.00-61%
Dar es SalaamGlobal avg: $950.72
πŸš—Uber 5km
$1.80-60%
Dar es SalaamGlobal avg: $4.51
β˜•Starbucks Latte
$1.90-54%
Dar es SalaamGlobal avg: $4.10
πŸ“ΊYouTube Premium
$2.49-67%
Dar es SalaamGlobal avg: $7.51
Below average
Above average
Global average

πŸ“ŠAnchor Price Breakdown

ℹ️Sources: Public economic data, market research
πŸ”
Big Mac
McDonald's signature burger
$3.00
-27% vs avg
17
Weight: 20%Global avg: $4.09
🏠
1BR Rent
City-wide median monthly
$368.00/mo
-61% vs avg
14
Weight: 30%Global avg: $950.72
πŸš—
Uber 5km
Average 5km ride fare
$1.80
-60% vs avg
13
Weight: 20%Global avg: $4.51
β˜•
Starbucks Latte
Tall Latte price
$1.90
-54% vs avg
12
Weight: 15%Global avg: $4.10
πŸ“Ί
YouTube Premium
Monthly subscription
$2.49/mo
-67% vs avg
15
Weight: 15%Global avg: $7.51

πŸ“ˆKey Metrics

ℹ️Calculated from verified cost data
🏠
65%
Rent Burden
Rent as % of avg salary
🍽️
23%
Food Affordability
Food as % of avg salary
πŸ’»
60/100
Nomad Score
Digital nomad friendliness
πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘§
70/100
Family Score
Family friendliness

πŸ’΅Monthly Budget Scenarios

ℹ️Based on crowdsourced price data
πŸŽ’
Backpacker
Hostels, street food, public transit
$931/mo
Housing
$510
Food
$352
Transport
$20
Utilities
$0
Entertainment
$27
Other
$22
πŸ’»
Digital Nomad
Coliving, coworking, mix of cooking & dining
$895/mo
Housing
$315
Food
$374
Transport
$31
Utilities
$22
Entertainment
$63
Other
$90
πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘§
Small Family
2 adults + 1 child, outside center apartment
$1,614/mo
Housing
$560
Food
$708
Transport
$68
Utilities
$93
Entertainment
$50
Other
$135
🏒
Expat Professional
City center, quality lifestyle
$1,216/mo
Housing
$441
Food
$552
Transport
$62
Utilities
$68
Entertainment
$69
Other
$24

Monthly Budget Range

πŸŽ’ Backpacker

$931

🏒 Professional

$1,216

πŸ“‹Extended Costs (60+ Items)

ℹ️Aggregated from public sources
1BR Apartment (City Center)$490.00/mo
1BR Apartment (Outside Center)$245.00/mo
3BR Apartment (City Center)$980.00/mo
3BR Apartment (Outside Center)$560.00/mo
Price per mΒ² (Buy, City)$4,800.00/mΒ²
Price per mΒ² (Buy, Outside)$2,750.00/mΒ²
Airbnb (1BR, Monthly)$630.00/mo
Coliving Space$315.00/mo
Hostel/Dormitory$17.00/night

πŸ“ˆ How Dar es Salaam Compares

Cheaper than
137cities
More expensive than
21cities
Rank in Africa
#9/18

Understanding Cost Index

0-20
Very Affordable
21-40
Affordable
41-60
Moderate
61-80
Expensive
81-100
Very Expensive

πŸ’‘Tips for Living in Dar es Salaam

Affordable Housing: With average rent at $368.00/month for a 1-bedroom apartment, Dar es Salaam offers relatively affordable housing compared to global averages. Consider negotiating directly with landlords for better rates.

Food & Drinks: A Big Mac costs $3.00 and a Starbucks latte goes for $1.90 in Dar es Salaam. Eating at local restaurants instead of international chains can save 40-60% on food costs.

Getting Around: A 5km Uber ride costs $1.80 in Dar es Salaam. Ride-hailing is very affordable here β€” use it freely for short distances.

Digital Nomad Budget: Plan for approximately $895/month as a digital nomad in Dar es Salaam, covering coworking, accommodation, food, and local transport.

Best Time to Move: Research visa requirements for Tanzania well in advance. Costs shown are in USD and may fluctuate with exchange rates.

❓Frequently Asked Questions About Dar es Salaam

What is the cost of living in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania?

Dar es Salaam has an Anchor Cost Index of 14/100, making it very affordable. A 1-bedroom apartment costs $368.00/month, a Big Mac is $3.00, and an Uber ride (5km) costs $1.80.Dar es Salaam ranks #139 out of 160 cities worldwide.

How much does rent cost in Dar es Salaam?

The average 1-bedroom apartment in Dar es Salaam costs $368.00/month. This is below the global average of $950.72/month. A digital nomad can expect to spend around $895/month total in Dar es Salaam.

Is Dar es Salaam expensive compared to other cities?

Dar es Salaam is more expensive than 21 cities and cheaper than 137 cities in our database. In Africa, it ranks #9 out of 18 cities. Cities with similar costs include Chiang Mai, Manila, MedellΓ­n.

How much money do I need to live in Dar es Salaam?

Monthly budgets vary by lifestyle: a backpacker needs ~$931/mo, a digital nomad ~$895/mo, a small family ~$1,614/mo, and an expat professional ~$1,216/mo. These include housing, food, transport, and lifestyle expenses.

πŸ“Š Data Sources

We aggregate data from trusted sources to provide accurate cost of living comparisons. All prices are converted to USD.

πŸ”
Big Mac Index
Global purchasing power indicator (2024)

Purchasing power parity indicator

🏠
Cost of Living & Rent
Crowdsourced global cost data (2024)

Verified price data from multiple sources

πŸš—
Transport & Services
Regional transport pricing data (2024)

Taxi, rideshare, public transit prices

πŸ“Ί
Digital Subscriptions
Regional pricing data (2024)

Streaming services, digital platforms

Data is updated periodically. Prices may vary based on location, promotions, and exchange rates.