Just Landed in Tanzania? Your First 7 Days

Mobile data is cheap, prepaid and the default way to get online, while fixed home broadband is limited to cities, pricier and slow to install. Coverage is strong across Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Dodoma, Mwanza and Zanzibar but patchy and slower once you leave main roads and towns. SIM registration against your passport with a fingerprint is mandatory and actively enforced, so always buy from a branded shop.

Typical cost: A SIM costs roughly 1,000-2,000 TZS, and a monthly bundle with generous data plus calls runs about 10,000-30,000 TZS depending on provider and allowance. Fixed home fibre from providers such as SimbaNET, TTCL or Vodacom, where available, typically costs from around 60,000-150,000 TZS per month, though many residents simply tether from a data-heavy SIM.

Tanzania is a cash-and-mobile-money economy first and a card economy a distant second. Cards work at supermarkets, hotels and larger restaurants in the main cities but rarely elsewhere, while mobile money (M-Pesa, Airtel Money, Mixx by Yas) is accepted almost everywhere, including by market traders and small shops. Carry cash daily and keep a mobile-money balance topped up; treat your card as a backup, not your main payment method.

Opening an account: CRDB, NMB, NBC and Stanbic are the most foreigner-friendly banks, and several have dedicated support for expatriates and diaspora clients. To open a resident account you typically need a residence or work permit, your passport, a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) from the Tanzania Revenue Authority, passport photos, and sometimes a reference letter or proof of address. Tourists on visitor visas generally cannot open a standard account and should rely on mobile money and ATM withdrawals.

Cash: Cash is king for taxis, markets, dukas, daladalas, bodabodas and street food, and a surprising number of transactions still happen in physical shillings. Keep a deliberate mix of small notes (500, 1,000, 2,000 and 5,000 TZS), because vendors frequently cannot make change for a 10,000 note and a fare dispute over change is a common minor hassle.

Tipping: Tipping is appreciated but not obligatory in everyday life. Round up or leave roughly 5-10 percent in restaurants that do not add a service charge, and tip hotel and airport porters a small amount in cash. Safari guides, drivers and Kilimanjaro climbing crews customarily receive daily tips, which for a multi-day trip can add up significantly and should be budgeted separately.

There is no municipal address-registration requirement for new arrivals in Tanzania. Your legal status is governed entirely by your visa or residence and work permit issued by the Immigration Services Department, not by registering where you live, so there is no local town-hall step to complete on arrival. What you must stay on top of is permit validity: overstaying a visa or letting a permit lapse triggers fines and complications on exit. Registering with your home embassy is voluntary but strongly advised, as it is how your government reaches citizens during emergencies. Note that Zanzibar operates its own immigration controls, so moving there long-term can involve separate paperwork from the mainland.

Where: Immigration Services Department (Idara ya Uhamiaji) for visas, residence permits and work permits; the Tanzania Revenue Authority for a TIN; and your national embassy or consulate for voluntary citizen registration.

Cities run on daladalas (shared minibuses), bajajis (three-wheelers), bodabodas (motorbike taxis) and ride-hailing apps. Daladalas are extremely cheap but crowded, hot and confusing at first because routes are learned by word of mouth, so ride-hailing is the easiest and safest way for a newcomer to get around. Dar es Salaam also has the DART bus rapid transit (BRT) running on dedicated lanes along major corridors, which is fast, cheap and worth learning once you find your feet. Bodabodas are quick through traffic but risky, so insist on a helmet or avoid them.

From the airport: From Julius Nyerere International (DAR) it is roughly 12-15 km to central Dar es Salaam; a Bolt or Uber usually costs about 15,000-35,000 TZS depending on traffic and time of day, far less than fixed airport-taxi desk rates. From Kilimanjaro International (JRO) it is about 50 km to Arusha and 40 km to Moshi, best reached by a pre-booked shuttle or taxi costing roughly 50,000-90,000 TZS; agree the price before you get in. For longer intercity trips, comfortable coach services and domestic flights (via carriers such as Precision Air and Air Tanzania) connect the main cities and Zanzibar.

Expats commonly rent in Masaki, Oysterbay and Mikocheni in Dar es Salaam, or around Njiro and Usa River near Arusha, choosing between furnished expat apartments, compounds and standalone houses. Find listings on Jumia House, Zoom Tanzania, Kupatana and active expat and Facebook groups, or work through a local agent who will expect a commission (often equal to one month's rent). Always view a place in person and ideally at different times of day to check water, power and noise before committing.

Typical rent: A modest one-bedroom in a decent city area runs roughly 400,000-900,000 TZS per month, while furnished expat apartments in prime Dar areas frequently cost 1,000,000-3,000,000 TZS and are sometimes quoted in US dollars. Water shortages and power cuts are common, so ask whether a property has a backup water tank, borehole or generator, as these add real value.

Deposit norm: Landlords very frequently ask for six to twelve months' rent upfront, and a full year in advance is not unusual, plus a separate security deposit. This is one of the biggest cash-flow shocks for newcomers, so negotiate the number of months, get every payment receipted, and insist on a written, signed tenancy agreement that states the rent, term and what is included.

Public hospitals are underfunded, crowded and best avoided for anything serious; expats and the middle class rely on private clinics and hospitals, which are reasonably good in Dar es Salaam and Arusha but limited elsewhere. Complex cases are routinely referred to Nairobi or evacuated abroad, which is why comprehensive insurance with air evacuation cover is essential rather than optional. Malaria is present across much of the country, so treat any persistent fever as a possible case and get a blood test quickly.

How to access it: Go directly to a reputable private hospital such as Aga Khan Hospital or TMJ (Tanzania Medical Joint) in Dar es Salaam, or a trusted private clinic in Arusha; there is usually no need for a referral. Payment is typically required upfront or settled through insurance with pre-authorisation, so keep your policy details on you. Pharmacies are widespread and dispense many medicines, including some that would need a prescription elsewhere, but buy from established pharmacies to avoid counterfeit drugs.

Insurance: Take out private health insurance that explicitly includes emergency medical evacuation, whether through a local provider such as AAR or Strategis or an international expatriate plan. Confirm which hospitals accept your cover directly, understand the pre-authorisation process, and never assume the public system or an unverified policy will be honoured in an emergency.

• Greet before anything else. A warm 'Habari' or 'Mambo' and a little small talk in Swahili is expected before you get to business, and skipping it reads as rude.
• Use your right hand for giving, receiving, eating and handshakes, as the left hand is traditionally considered unclean.
• Dress modestly, especially in Zanzibar and other Muslim-majority coastal areas, where covering shoulders and knees is expected and revealing clothing causes offence.
• Show clear respect to elders and those in authority; a slight bow, two-handed handshake and unhurried politeness go a long way.
• Always ask before photographing people, particularly the Maasai and traders in markets, and expect that some may ask for a small payment.
• Learn and use basic Swahili numbers and courtesy phrases; even imperfect effort earns goodwill, fairer prices and warmer treatment.
• Be patient with time and process. 'Pole pole' (slowly, slowly) is a genuine social value, so getting visibly angry over delays rarely helps and often backfires.

• Homosexuality is illegal in Tanzania and carries severe penalties; LGBTQ+ arrivals should be discreet and cautious, particularly in Zanzibar and conservative areas.
• Public criticism of the government, the president or state institutions can cause serious problems, including legal trouble, so keep political opinions private, including online.
• Drone use is tightly restricted, and photographing airports, military sites, government buildings and police can lead to detention or arrest.
• Buying, using or carrying illegal drugs, including cannabis, brings harsh penalties, and foreigners are not treated leniently.
• Dress and behaviour that is normal at a beach resort can cause real offence in Stone Town or a village, so adjust to your surroundings rather than assuming resort norms apply everywhere.