Price comparison
The same 29 everyday buys in Kenya and Tanzania, from a coffee to an airport taxi: what locals pay, what tourist spots charge, and where your money goes further.
The numbers that decide a trip, in one table. Money in USD, the local price underneath.
What locals pay in Kenya and Tanzania, item by item. Shown in USD at one daily rate so the two sides compare, with the local price underneath. Differences under 3% count as about the same.
25 of the 29 items cost less in Tanzania.
Bottled, convenience store
Kenya: ≈ $0.27 – $0.62 KES 35–80 Tanzania: ≈ $0.19 – $0.38 TZS 500–1,000 Cafe or street vendor
Kenya: ≈ $1.20 – $1.90 KES 150–250 Tanzania: ≈ $0.94 – $1.90 TZS 2,500–5,000 Draft, at bar or restaurant
Kenya: ≈ $1.90 – $3.10 KES 250–400 Tanzania: ≈ $0.76 – $1.90 TZS 2,000–5,000 Tourist area, main course
Kenya: ≈ $3.90 – $9.30 KES 500–1,200 Tanzania: ≈ $6 – $11 TZS 15,000–30,000 Local market or stand
Kenya: ≈ $0.77 – $4.60 KES 100–600 Tanzania: ≈ $0.76 – $2.30 TZS 2,000–6,000 Mixed drink, bar
Kenya: ≈ $4.60 – $9.30 KES 600–1,200 Tanzania: ≈ $3.80 – $5.70 TZS 10,000–15,000 House wine, restaurant
Kenya: ≈ $12 – $27 KES 1,500–3,500 Tanzania: ≈ $6 – $13 TZS 15,000–35,000 Cafe or street stall
Kenya: ≈ $0.35 – $1 KES 45–135 Tanzania: ≈ $0.76 – $1.90 TZS 2,000–5,000 Standard route
Kenya: ≈ $12 – $27 KES 1,500–3,500 Tanzania: ≈ $9 – $26 TZS 25,000–70,000 Metered or typical fare
Kenya: ≈ $0.77 – $1.90 KES 100–250 Tanzania: ≈ $0.38 – $1.50 TZS 1,000–4,000 Single ride
Kenya: ≈ $0.31 – $1 KES 40–130 Tanzania: ≈ $0.26 – $0.57 TZS 700–1,500 Grab / Bolt / Uber
Kenya: ≈ $1.70 – $9.30 KES 220–1,200 Tanzania: ≈ $1.50 – $3 TZS 4,000–8,000 Tourist shop
Kenya: ≈ $0.77 – $3.90 KES 100–500 Tanzania: ≈ $0.76 – $2.30 TZS 2,000–6,000 Tourist shop
Kenya: ≈ $6 – $12 KES 800–1,500 Tanzania: ≈ $2.60 – $9.40 TZS 7,000–25,000 Ceramics, textiles, etc.
Kenya: ≈ $4 – $15 KES 500–2,000 Tanzania: ≈ $3 – $11 TZS 8,000–30,000 Data package
Kenya: ≈ $3.90 – $9.30 KES 500–1,200 Tanzania: ≈ $1.90 – $9.40 TZS 5,000–25,000 Pharmacy or shop
Kenya: ≈ $12 – $31 KES 1,500–4,000 Tanzania: ≈ $8 – $21 TZS 20,000–55,000 Supermarket
Kenya: ≈ $0.46 – $0.93 KES 60–120 Tanzania: ≈ $0.23 – $0.45 TZS 600–1,200 Pack of 20
Kenya: ≈ $3.10 – $4.60 KES 400–600 Tanzania: ≈ $1.50 – $3 TZS 4,000–8,000 Pack of 20 tablets
Kenya: ≈ $1.50 – $2.30 KES 200–300 Tanzania: ≈ $0.19 – $0.76 TZS 500–2,000 Spray or lotion
Kenya: ≈ $1.20 – $12 KES 160–1,500 Tanzania: ≈ $1.50 – $2.10 TZS 4,000–5,500 Local barbershop
Kenya: ≈ $2.30 – $7.70 KES 300–1,000 Tanzania: ≈ $1.10 – $3 TZS 3,000–8,000 Laundry service
Kenya: ≈ $0.77 – $1.50 KES 100–200 Tanzania: ≈ $0.57 – $2.60 TZS 1,500–7,000 Standard full-body massage
Kenya: ≈ $19 – $46 KES 2,500–6,000 Tanzania: ≈ $11 – $30 TZS 30,000–80,000 Basic cut, salon
Kenya: ≈ $8 – $15 KES 1,000–2,000 Tanzania: ≈ $3.40 – $6.80 TZS 9,000–18,000 Entrance ticket
Kenya: ≈ $1.50 – $19 KES 200–2,500 Tanzania: ≈ $0.76 – $4.50 TZS 2,000–12,000 Organized excursion
Kenya: ≈ $42 – $93 KES 5,500–12,000 Tanzania: ≈ $38 – $76 TZS 100,000–200,000 Organized excursion 6-8h
Kenya: ≈ $93 – $195 KES 12,000–25,000 Tanzania: ≈ $20 – $35 TZS 53,000–93,000 Local cuisine cooking class
Kenya: ≈ $27 – $45 KES 3,500–5,800 Tanzania: ≈ $42 – $61 TZS 112,500–162,500 Tourist prices are about 2.8× the fair price in Kenya and 2.9× in Tanzania, close to even.
Kenya 26th highest of 60
Tanzania 17th highest of 60
What is expected in each country, so you neither stiff anyone nor overpay.
Kenya In Kenya tip 10 percent in restaurants. Safari guides expect USD 15 to 20 per person per day and vehicle drivers USD 5 to 10 per person per day. Tipping in US dollars is widely accepted and preferred.
Tanzania Tipping on safari and beyond: leave about 10 percent in Tanzanian restaurants, but check the bill first, because many tourist places already add a service charge. On safari a tip is expected rather than optional: budget roughly 15 to 25 US dollars per guest per day for your driver guide and 10 to 15 US dollars per guest per day for the camp tip box. Tip in US dollars, in notes dated 2009 or later, since older notes are often refused. Tanzanian shillings are accepted but less welcome, and euros are not a practical tipping currency here.
Yes. In Tanzania you pay about 38% less than in Kenya at fair prices. TruePrice Index: Kenya 84, Tanzania 52 (100 is the median of the 60 countries I track). 25 of the 29 items cost less in Tanzania.
A week is cheaper in Tanzania: about $105 at fair prices, against $115 in Kenya. That covers two meals, a coffee, water, a beer, two transit rides and a short taxi ride a day. Flights and accommodation are not included. At tourist-trap prices the same week runs about $385 in Kenya and $260 in Tanzania.
In Tanzania: food and drinks cost about 22% less there on average. A restaurant meal costs $3.90 – $9.30 in Kenya and $6 – $11 in Tanzania, street food $0.77 – $4.60 and $0.76 – $2.30.
Tourist prices are about 2.8× the fair price in Kenya and 2.9× in Tanzania, close to even. The biggest gaps in Kenya: top museum / attraction (5.6×), local handcraft (5.2×), and water 0.5 L (4.8×). The biggest gaps in Tanzania: men's haircut (7.3×), fridge magnet (5.9×), and painkillers (5.6×).
Where these numbers come from, and how the comparison works.
How to cite
TruePrice, Kenya vs Tanzania, October 2026, truepriceapp.com/en/compare/kenya-vs-tanzania/
Spotted a price that looks off? Email me at contact@truepriceapp.com and I will check it.
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