Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Dar es Salaam vs Lagos

Dar es Salaam vs Lagos

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Lagos 10% cheaper N/A / Low

Dar es Salaam

Peter Mitchell/Unsplash

Lagos

Nupo Deyon Daniel/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,236

Dar es Salaam

$1,109

Lagos

Internet

Mbps

Safety

N/A

Dar es Salaam

Low

Lagos

Air Quality

5/5

Dar es Salaam

5/5

Lagos

Healthcare

N/A

Dar es Salaam

High

Lagos

Population

4.4m

Dar es Salaam

16.1m

Lagos

Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) and Lagos (Nigeria) are both in Africa, offering different takes on the nomad lifestyle. Here is how they compare across the metrics that matter most.

Cost of Living

Lagos edges ahead on affordability at $1109/mo versus Dar es Salaam's $1236/mo, a 10% difference worth considering for budget-focused nomads.

Internet & Infrastructure

Lagos leads on internet connectivity at 25 Mbps (ranked #158 globally) versus Dar es Salaam's 18 Mbps (#171). The speed gap is notable for video-heavy remote work.

Quality of Life

Both Dar es Salaam and Lagos share the same safety rating — travelers can feel equally comfortable in either city.

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Dar es Salaam and Lagos.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Dar es Salaam is May (around 33 degrees, 0mm rain, score 373), while Lagos peaks in November (37 degrees, 1mm rain, score 410). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

Dar es SalaamLagos

Nomad$1,236/mo$1,109/mo

Expat$992/mo$744/mo

Local$685/mo–

Family$2,398/mo–

Internet & Infrastructure

Dar es SalaamLagos

City Speed

18 Mbps#171

25 Mbps#158

Country Speed18 Mbps26 Mbps

Environment & Health

Dar es SalaamLagos

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionN/AHigh

ClimateN/AModerate

Humidity7279

Quality of Life

Dar es SalaamLagos

SafetyN/ALow

HealthcareN/AHigh

Monthly Weather Comparison

Dar es Salaam

Lagos

Jan

37°

3mm293

37°

0mm390

Feb

38°

1mm304

38°

0mm390

Mar

38°

5mm304

38°

1mm376

Apr

33°

14mm142

38°

1mm363

May

33°

0mm373

38°

2mm348

Jun

31°

0mm365

34°

4mm222

Jul

32°

0mm363

31°

2mm317

Aug

32°

1mm347

31°

1mm327

Sep

32°

1mm304

33°

4mm307

Oct

34°

1mm293

34°

4mm307

Nov

36°

1mm309

37°

1mm410

Dec

36°

2mm283

38°

0mm390

Who Should Choose Dar es Salaam?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1236
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $2397.807530241215/mo for families
Major city energy with 4.4m residents
Peak season in May — 33 degrees, score 373

Who Should Choose Lagos?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1109
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Major city energy with 16.1m residents
Peak season in November — 37 degrees, score 410

Overall Verdict

Overall, Lagos edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $1109/mo it runs 10% cheaper than Dar es Salaam's $1236/mo, with 25 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Dar es Salaam Lagos

ItemDar es SalaamLagosDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$2.14$3.71

42%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$24.65$45.03

45%

McMeal or equivalent combo$6.64$6.75

Cappuccino (regular)$1.8$3.4

47%

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$1.07$1.13

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.71$1.8

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.31$0.4

23%

Water (0.33L)$0.26$0.26

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.03$3.59

71%

White bread (500g)$0.58$1.37

58%

White rice (1kg)$0.94$2.84

67%

Eggs (12)$1.93$2.15

10%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$3.74$5.5

32%

Beef round (1kg)$3.92$5.91

34%

Local cheese (1kg)$8.79$4.88

44%

Apples (1kg)$3.04$3.15

Bananas (1kg)$1.05$2.03

48%

Oranges (1kg)$1.06$1.76

40%

Tomatoes (1kg)$1.12$2.77

60%

Potatoes (1kg)$0.83$2.77

70%

Onions (1kg)$1.08$1.75

38%

Lettuce (1 head)$0.77$1.34

43%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.47$0.55

15%

Wine, mid-range bottle$6.43$6.75

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$0.98$0.99

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$1.81$1.54

15%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$1.71$1.13

34%

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.28$0.9

69%

Monthly transport pass$5.32$33.77

84%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$1.5$1.29

14%

Taxi per 1km$2.14$2.25

Taxi 1hr waiting$4.29$4.5

Gasoline (1L)$1.13$0.39

65%

Volkswagen Golf (new)$22,503.21$18,911.68

16%

Toyota Corolla (new)$6,572.37$33,770.85

81%

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$92.87$28.27

70%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$44.53$52.83

16%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.01$0.04

75%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$41.33$40.01

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$13.57$9.63

29%

Cinema, 1 ticket$4.29$7.88

46%

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$311.55$129.58

58%

International primary school/yr$6,537.29$2,916.01

55%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$13.47$20.05

33%

Summer dress (chain store)$29.65$26.88

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$74.3$68.4

Men's leather business shoes$56.79$68.08

17%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$333.22$1,406.6

76%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$364.59$714.57

49%

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$809.6$4,929.84

84%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$761.37$2,251.39

66%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$3,901.17$746.59

81%

Price per m², outside centre$6,000.86$301.12

95%

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$264.32$214.64

19%

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$13.1$17.5

25%

Lower is better for all cost items.

Data from Open-Meteo (weather) and global internet speed rankings. Updated monthly.

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