Dar es Salaam by the numbers: what buyers and investors should know

Dar es Salaam remains the commercial heart of Tanzania, and its property market rewards those who read the numbers carefully. Here is how we see the city in 2025.

Pricing and location

Average residential prices sit at roughly USD 1,200 per square metre, but that figure hides a wide spread. Prime addresses such as Oyster Bay and Masaki command a clear premium, while emerging neighbourhoods offer a lower entry point with strong upside as infrastructure improves. The lesson is an old one: in Dar es Salaam, location and management drive returns far more than headline averages.

Rental yields that still make sense

Gross rental yields are averaging around 6 to 8 percent a year, comfortably ahead of many regional capitals. For investors, that yield is most reliably captured through disciplined tenant selection, prompt maintenance and transparent reporting, the day-to-day disciplines that protect both income and capital value.

Demand drivers

• A population above eight million and growing close to 5 percent a year.
• Faster building approvals freeing up new supply.
• Major infrastructure investment reshaping commute times and demand.

The Terranova view

Before any acquisition we recommend a clear-eyed valuation, a feasibility check and a management plan, in that order. It is the unglamorous work, the surveys, the leasing strategy, the reporting, that turns a good address into a good investment. That is exactly where our advisory and management teams add value.