Tanzania operates with the Tanzanian Shilling (TZS), with exchange rates fluctuating between 2,300 to 2,500 TZS per US dollar as of 2024. The country presents a dual pricing structure where residents and non-residents pay different amounts for national parks, transportation, and many tourism services. Most safari lodges and tour operators quote prices in US dollars, while local services operate in shillings. Credit cards function in Dar es Salaam, Arusha, and Stone Town at major hotels and restaurants, but cash dominates transactions elsewhere. ATMs dispense shillings in Dodoma, Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Mwanza, Moshi, and Zanzibar City, with withdrawal limits typically between 400,000 to 800,000 TZS per transaction.
Budget travelers spending 30 to 50 US dollars daily stay in guesthouses charging 20,000 to 40,000 TZS per night, eat ugali with beans or chipsi mayai at local restaurants for 3,000 to 8,000 TZS per meal, and use daladala minibuses costing 400 to 1,500 TZS per urban route. Mid-range travelers allocating 100 to 200 US dollars daily book hotels at 120,000 to 300,000 TZS per night, dine at restaurants serving nyama choma or mchuzi wa samaki for 15,000 to 35,000 TZS per meal, and hire private cars with drivers for 150,000 to 250,000 TZS per day excluding fuel. High-end travelers exceeding 400 US dollars daily stay in lodges charging 800 to 2,000 US dollars per person per night including meals, employ private guides at 150 to 300 US dollars daily, and arrange charter flights between parks at 500 to 1,500 US dollars per leg.
Serengeti National Park charges non-resident adults 70.80 US dollars per 24-hour period, with children aged five to fifteen paying 23.60 US dollars. Ngorongoro Conservation Area requires 70.80 US dollars per adult per day plus a 295.20 US dollar vehicle descent fee into the crater. Kilimanjaro National Park costs 70 US dollars per person per day for climbing, with rescue fees at 20 US dollars daily and camping fees between 50 to 60 US dollars per night depending on altitude. Zanzibar's Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park charges 10 US dollars for non-residents. Tanzania National Parks Authority implements these fees in US dollars, payable by card at park gates or through tour operators who include them in package prices.
Safari costs range from 200 to 600 US dollars per person per day depending on group size, accommodation level, and park circuit. Budget camping safaris visiting Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, and Ngorongoro Crater over five days cost 1,200 to 1,800 US dollars per person in groups of six. Mid-range lodge safaris covering Serengeti, Ngorongoro, and Tarangire over seven days range from 2,500 to 4,000 US dollars per person with double occupancy. Luxury mobile camping safaris in Serengeti during the wildebeest migration reach 800 to 1,200 US dollars per person daily. These prices include park fees, transport in four-wheel-drive vehicles, guide services, accommodation, and meals, but exclude tips typically totaling 50 to 100 US dollars per traveler for week-long trips.
Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro via the Marangu Route over five days costs 1,400 to 2,000 US dollars per person in groups of four or more, including park fees, guide and porter wages, meals, and mountain hut accommodation. The Machame Route over six days ranges from 1,600 to 2,300 US dollars per person. The Lemosho Route over seven days reaches 2,000 to 2,800 US dollars per person. These prices cover National Parks fees constituting approximately 900 US dollars, rescue fees at 20 US dollars daily, and mandatory guide services. Porters carry 15 kilograms per person maximum, with additional porter costs at 15 to 20 US dollars per porter per day for extra gear. Tips for Kilimanjaro climbs typically total 250 to 350 US dollars per climber distributed among guides, assistant guides, cooks, and porters according to established percentage guidelines.
Guesthouses in Dar es Salaam near Kariakoo or Kisutu neighborhoods charge 25,000 to 50,000 TZS for single rooms with shared bathrooms. Hotels along Zanzibar City's outskirts away from Stone Town cost 60,000 to 120,000 TZS for double rooms with air conditioning. Arusha hostels offering dormitory beds near the central market charge 15,000 to 30,000 TZS per person. Mid-range hotels in Arusha with breakfast included cost 180,000 to 350,000 TZS for doubles. Stone Town boutique hotels within the UNESCO World Heritage Site range from 200,000 to 500,000 TZS per night. Beach resorts on Unguja's east coast charge 300 US dollars to 800 US dollars per night including meals at properties in Nungwi, Kendwa, and Paje.
Meals at local establishments serving ugali with fish or beans cost 3,000 to 6,000 TZS in Dodoma, Mwanza, and Morogoro. Chapati with lentil stew at street stalls runs 2,000 to 4,000 TZS. Restaurants serving pilau or wali wa nazi with meat in Dar es Salaam and Arusha charge 12,000 to 25,000 TZS per plate. Nyama choma sold by weight costs approximately 25,000 to 35,000 TZS per kilogram of goat or beef in urban centers. Stone Town restaurants specializing in urojo or pweza wa nazi charge 15,000 to 30,000 TZS for main courses. International restaurants in Dar es Salaam's Masaki Peninsula and Arusha's tourist zones price meals at 30,000 to 60,000 TZS. Mandazi costs 500 to 1,000 TZS per piece at bakeries. A 500-milliliter bottle of Safari Lager or Kilimanjaro Premium beer costs 2,500 to 5,000 TZS at local bars, increasing to 8,000 to 12,000 TZS at hotel bars.
Daladala minibuses within Dar es Salaam cost 400 to 800 TZS per ride depending on distance. Routes from the city center to Mwenge or Mbagala run 600 TZS. Arusha's daladala network charges 500 to 700 TZS for rides between the central bus station and outlying neighborhoods. Intercity buses operated by companies including Dar Express and Tahmeed connect Dar es Salaam to Arusha covering 650 kilometers in ten to twelve hours for 35,000 to 50,000 TZS in standard seats or 60,000 to 80,000 TZS in VIP coaches. Buses from Dar es Salaam to Mbeya spanning 850 kilometers cost 40,000 to 65,000 TZS over fourteen hours. The Standard Gauge Railway linking Dar es Salaam to Dodoma through Morogoro charges 28,800 TZS for economy class and 48,000 TZS for business class covering 460 kilometers in approximately five hours.