Tanzania

Eastern Africa

Africa

A very low-cost East African economy with English as a working language and a 5-year citizenship path, but a weak passport (~68 destinations), no dual citizenship and high personal taxes.

39
Overall score
Limited · Penalty applied · 94% data coverage
Language
Swahili, English
Currency
TZS
Citizenship
5 years
Personal tax
Up to 30% headline
Cost of living
Consumer price level 26 (world = 100, 2025)

Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.

Score breakdown
36
Access
17%
40Residence12%
27Citizenship and passport5%
59
Earning power
25%
58Salary and work12%
60Buying power13%
37
Business and wealth
20%
40Taxes7%
40Business8%
29Investment5%
42
Daily life
25%
45Quality of life18%
35Education7%
36
Rights and institutions
13%
34Freedom6%
38Rule of law7%

Healthcare collapse (31) cut the overall score from 44 to 39.

Pros

  • Relative affordability score 92/100
  • Human development score 56/100
  • Business environment score 37/100

Cons

  • Passport mobility score 35/100
  • Institutional environment score 39/100
  • Tax friendliness score 40/100

Best for

English-speaking applicantsCost-conscious residentsPeople with a confirmed local employment or study route

Score profile

Access
Residence
40
Citizenship
24
Passport
37
Earning power
Salary & work
58
Buying power
60
Cost of living
99
Economy
54
Business and wealth
Taxes
40
Personal tax
45
Corporate tax
14
Business
40
Investment
29
Wealth building
51
Daily life
Safety
62
Healthcare
31
Environment
80
Infrastructure
45
Education
35
HDI
56
Rights and institutions
Freedom
34
Rule of law
38
How the scores are calculated

Access

Residence
Openness to residents
Limited
40
Migrant stock0.7% of population (2024)
Regulatory quality-0.54 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways
Employment residenceStudy residenceFamily reunificationBusiness or investment residence where eligible
StudentAdmission, proof of funds, accommodation, insurance, and immigration approval are normally required; work rights vary.
WorkA local employer, qualifying occupation, or other work authorization is normally required; labour-market tests may apply.
Self-employedBusiness registration, tax registration, and a residence or work authorization suitable for self-employment are generally required.
PermanentEligibility depends on years and continuity of lawful residence, route, income, character, and country-specific legislation.
Citizenship
Citizenship accessibility
Low
24
Years required5 years
Dual allowedNo
LanguageLanguage, integration, character, and documentation requirements depend on the nationality law and route.
ResidenceHeadline ordinary naturalization period: 5 years. Continuous residence and absence rules may apply.
NotesThis is a statutory headline from a sourced comparison table. Confirm the current nationality law and administrative practice before relying on it.
Passport
Passport power
Limited
37
73 / 198
Mobility
#69
Global rank
Yes
Biometric
  • Visa-free33
  • On arrival38
  • eTA2
  • Visa required125

Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work
Labour-market strength
Moderate
58
Output per worker$7,595 PPP (2024)
Unemployment1.6% (2025)
Participation83.7% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Mean monthly earnings of employees
Overall$115 · $456 PPP (2024)
Tech (IT & comms)$231 · $913 PPP (2024)

Source: ILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)

FreelanceInternet use is 31%; remote and freelance access still depends on payments, language, regulation, and immigration status.
Job marketLatest comparable unemployment rate: 1.6%. Role-specific demand varies substantially by city and sector.
Buying power
Purchasing power score
Moderate
60
GNI / person$4,370 PPP (2025)
Consumption / person$2,336 PPP (2024)
Price level26 (US = 100) (2025)
Income inequality40.5 Gini (2018)
Inflation3.3% / yr (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living
Affordability
Excellent
99
Price level26 (US = 100) (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

RentModel benchmark: about $160 monthly housing share; derived from the World Bank consumer price level, not a market listing.
MonthlyModel benchmark: about $390 / month at a US$1,500 world-price baseline.
CitiesDar es Salaam, Dodoma, Mwanza
Economy
Economic strength
Moderate
54
Output & income
GDP$90.1B (2025)
GDP / person$1,319 (2025)
GNI / person$4,370 PPP (2025)
GDP growth5.5% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour
Inflation3.3% / yr (2025)
Unemployment1.6% (2025)
Output per worker$7,595 PPP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition
Agriculture22.9% of GDP (2025)
Industry29.8% of GDP (2025)
Services28.8% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries
AgricultureMining (gold)TourismManufacturing
Top exports
GoldCashewsCoffee & tobaccoGemstones
TypeLower-middle-income, agri- and mining-led
Key sectorsAgriculture, Gold mining, Wildlife tourism (Serengeti, Kilimanjaro)
SummaryA fast-growing East African economy built on agriculture, gold and a renowned wildlife-tourism sector.
CurrencyTanzanian shilling

Business and wealth

Taxes
Tax friendliness
Limited
40
PersonalResidents: 30;; Non-residents employment income only: 15;; Non-residents total income: 30
Corporate30
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, entity, residence, holding period, and domestic exemptions; consult the current country summary.
DividendsDomestic and withholding rates vary with residence, ownership, and treaty eligibility.
Exit taxNo harmonized cross-country answer; verify current deemed-disposal and residence-cessation rules.
Foreign companiesPermanent-establishment, management-and-control, transfer-pricing, withholding, and reporting rules may apply.
Personal tax
Personal tax
Moderate
45
PersonalResidents: 30;; Non-residents employment income only: 15;; Non-residents total income: 30
FreelanceFreelancers typically need appropriate immigration permission plus business and tax registration.
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, entity, residence, holding period, and domestic exemptions; consult the current country summary.
DividendsDomestic and withholding rates vary with residence, ownership, and treaty eligibility.
Exit taxNo harmonized cross-country answer; verify current deemed-disposal and residence-cessation rules.
Corporate tax
Corporate tax
Low
14
Corporate30
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, entity, residence, holding period, and domestic exemptions; consult the current country summary.
DividendsDomestic and withholding rates vary with residence, ownership, and treaty eligibility.
Foreign companiesPermanent-establishment, management-and-control, transfer-pricing, withholding, and reporting rules may apply.
Business
Business friendliness
Limited
40
Regulation & bureaucracy
Regulatory quality-0.54 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Government effectiveness-0.29 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules
Foreign companyForeign ownership is generally possible, subject to sector restrictions, licensing, local-participation rules, and beneficial-ownership checks.
Local companyLocal company forms are available; registration, tax, capital, director, address, and licensing requirements vary.
FreelanceFreelancers typically need appropriate immigration permission plus business and tax registration.
Investment
Investing environment
Low
29
Market cap11% of GDP (2025)
Private credit17% of GDP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gainsCapital-gains treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position.
DividendsData not available yet
ETFs & fundsData not available yet
Wealth taxVerify current national and subnational net-wealth, property, inheritance, and transfer taxes.
BrokersLocal and international broker access depends on residency, exchange controls, sanctions screening, and platform onboarding.
Foreign accessData not available yet
Tax-advantagedData not available yet
Wealth building
Wealth accumulation
Moderate
51
Salary & work
Moderate
58
Business
Limited
40
Investment
Low
29
Tax friendliness
Limited
40
Cost of living
Excellent
99

Daily life

Safety
Safety & stability
Moderate
62
Personal safety
Homicide rate3.7 per 100,000 (2020)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Institutions & stability
Control of corruption-0.29 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Political stability-0.39 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Healthcare
Healthcare score
Limited
31
Outcomes
Life expectancy67.2 years (2024)
Under-5 mortality37.0 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing
Physicians0.13 per 1,000 (2022)
Hospital beds0.84 per 1,000 (2022)
Health spending$119 PPP / person (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs
SystemPublic and private provision coexist; eligibility, service quality, and capacity vary by location.
InsuranceInsurance and proof-of-cover requirements depend on immigration status, employer, and residence route.
Average costHealth expenditure: $119 PPP per person (2023).
Environment
Environment score
Excellent
80
Environmental pressure
PM2.5 exposure20.2 μg/m³ annually (2023)
Water stress13.0% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure
Infrastructure score
Moderate
45
Digital infrastructure
Internet use31.2% (2024)
Internet resilience51 / 100 (2026)
Fixed speed51 / 100 download index (2026)
Mobile speed52 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities
Electricity access48.3% (2023)
Grid losses16.8% of output (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport
Transport quality2.81 / 5 (2016)
Rail density3.0 km / 1,000 km² (2017)
Air connectivity1,157 departures / million people (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education
Education score
Limited
35
Attainment
Expected schooling8.6 years (2023)
Mean schooling6.1 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment
Tertiary enrolment4% gross (2024)
Education spending3.2% of GDP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

TuitionFees vary by institution, programme, level, and nationality; no harmonized official tuition series is used.
Public universityCheck current public-university fee schedules and scholarship rules directly with each institution.
LanguagesSwahili, English
Student workStudent employment rights vary by permit and may require separate authorization or hour limits.
HDI
Human development score
Moderate
56
HDI0.555 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life
Life expectancy67.0 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge
Expected schooling8.6 years (2023)
Mean schooling6.1 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Standard of living
GNI / person$3,515 PPP (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Rights and institutions

Freedom
Freedom score
Limited
34
Freedom in the World34 / 100 (Not free)
Rule of law
Rule of law score
Limited
38
Rule of Law percentile38 / 100
Resources

Data is illustrative. Not legal or tax advice.