USD → TZS
Cheapest way to send money to Tanzania
The most common way to send money to Tanzania is to use a mobile money wallet. Mobile money is extremely common in East Africa. The most common wallets include Vodacom M-Pesa, Tigo Pesa, Airtel Money, and HaloPesa. Mobile money is accepted at almost every business. You could live your life and never touch cash, at this point. Most remittance providers can deliver to a mobile money wallet in minutes. It is extremely common and convenient.
Most remittance apps can also send money to Tanzanian bank accounts. Fees are low. There may be a $1-$2 flat fee for sending money from a bank account. For sending money from a debit card, the fee is often a bit higher, like $3-$5. Sometimes the exchange rate is a bit less favorable when sending to a bank account, so it’s best to check before you send.
Cash pickup is also available. There are thousands of pickup locations across the country. The fee is usually slightly higher for this service.
If you're sending money to a Tanzanian from abroad, the cheapest option is usually to send from your bank account to a mobile money account. The flat fees and markup are usually the lowest when you use this option.
If you’re traveling in Tanzania, I highly recommend getting a Vodacom SIM card so you can use M-Pesa. You can send money to yourself from your bank account or debit card. The fees are low and you can use it almost everywhere.
You can also use your debit card to withdraw cash from Tanzanian ATMs. Fees are about $4-$6 per transaction, on average. Some ATMs have a low limit. It’s a good idea to carry some cash.
Checked . Fee figures are typical estimates, not live quotes. Change them in the calculator if you know your exact fees.
01
The transfer
How much, and which two currencies.
Not in the list? Choose “Enter my own…” and type the 3-letter code (GEL, VND, COP…).
02
How the money moves
Sending to someone else and spending your own money there are different questions. Pick one from the matching group.
To someone else
Your own money there
Loading live rate…
After fees · Wise
1 USD = 2,615 TZS
Mid-market is 2,640.
Adjust feesThese are typical estimates, not official numbers from the company›
Sending $1,000 to someone in Tanzania
Money leaves you and arrives with them in Tanzanian shillings. Sorted cheapest first. “Cost” is the fee plus whatever the rate is worse than mid-market, which is the part most comparisons leave out.
| Method | Cost | They receive |
|---|---|---|
| WisecheapestWise is partially available in Tanzania. You can use Wise to send money to a Tanzanian bank account. Tanzanian residents cannot open a Wise account or get a Wise debit card. There is a variable fee between 0.33%-0.5%. There is also a flat fee of around $4.50. | $9.500.9% | 2,614,920TZS |
| SendwaveSendwave is one of the cheapest ways to send money to Tanzania. They charge no flat fee. There is a markup of 0.5%-1.5% on the exchange rate. Sendwave can only be used to send money to Tanzanian mobile money accounts. You cannot send money to bank accounts. They do not offer cash pickup. Sendwave is also a mobile-first platform. | $10.001.0% | 2,613,600TZS |
| Taptap SendTapTapSend is often one of the lowest-cost options for sending money to Tanzania. They have a low markup of around 0.7%-1.5%. They also have no flat fee if you're sending money to a bank account or mobile wallet. TapTapSend only accepts debit cards to fund transfers. You can only transfer through their mobile app. They do not offer a desktop app at this time. | $10.001.0% | 2,613,600TZS |
| RevolutRevolut works for sending money to Tanzanian bank accounts. They use the mid-market rate, like Wise. Revolut uses a subscription model. They offer a fee-free allowance on all plans then charge a percentage fee after you go over the monthly allowance. The allowance depends on your plan. On the standard plan, it's $1,000 per month then you pay a 1% fee. Revolut also charges an additional 1% fee on all transfers during weekends so it's best to only use this service during the week to avoid the extra fee. There is also a flat fee of around $1.50 per transfer. The fee depends on your plan. There is also a fee for moving funds to your Revolut account from your debit card or bank account. It's important to note that Tanzanian residents cannot open a Revolut account or get a Revolut debit card at this time. You can only use this service to send money to bank accounts. | $11.501.1% | 2,609,640TZS |
| WorldRemitWorldRemit charges a flat fee of around $0.99-$2.99 to send money from your bank account to a Tanzanian bank account. They also charge an exchange rate markup of 0.9%-3%. You can send to Tanzanian bank accounts and mobile wallets, like Vodacom M-Pesa, Tigo Pesa, and Airtel Money. They also offer cash pickup. WorldRemit is fully functional in Tanzania. | $20.972.1% | 2,584,639TZS |
| Western UnionWestern Union charges a flat fee of up to around $5 to send money to a Tanzanian bank account from a bank account or debit card. The flat fee for sending from a credit card is substantially higher at up to $25. They also charge a hidden markup of 2%-4% on the exchange rate. They don't use the mid-market rate. Western Union can send money to Tanzanian bank accounts and mobile wallets. They also offer cash pickup. | $31.933.2% | 2,555,704TZS |
| RemitlyRemitly charges a flat fee of around $3.99 to send money to a Tanzanian bank account from a debit card. They also charge a hidden markup of 1%-3.7% on the exchange rate. Remitly can send money to Tanzanian bank accounts and mobile wallets. They also offer cash pickup. If you're not in a hurry to transfer money, they offer an economy option with no flat fee if you fund the transfer with your bank account. The economy transfer takes 3-5 days to clear. The express transfer is processed in minutes. Remitly is also a good choice if you only need to send money once because they offer a generous introductory offer. | $33.873.4% | 2,550,582TZS |
| RiaRia charges a flat fee of around $0-$2 for each transfer to Tanzania from a bank account but the transfer takes 3-5 days. To send money from a debit card, there is a flat fee of around $3-$5. This transfer arrives in minutes. They also charge an exchange rate markup of 1.5%-4.5%. You can use Ria to send money to Tanzanian bank accounts and mobile wallets. They also offer cash pickup. Ria is one of the largest competitors to Western Union in Tanzania. | $34.853.5% | 2,547,996TZS |
| XoomXoom charges a flat fee of around $4.99 to send money to a Tanzanian bank account or mobile wallet from a debit card. If you send from a bank account or PayPal account, there is usually no flat fee. They also charge a markup of 3.5%-4.5% on the exchange rate. This is where Xoom gets expensive. It's one of the higher markups. They also offer cash pickup. | $44.794.5% | 2,521,753TZS |
| PayPalPayPal is one of the most expensive ways to send money to Tanzania. They charge a 5% transfer fee with a maximum of $4.99. They also have a markup of up to 3.5%-4% on the exchange rate, which is very high. There is an additional fee of around 2.9% if you send from a credit card or debit card instead of your PayPal balance. It's important to note that you can't send money from a PayPal account to a Tanzanian bank account. You can only send it to another PayPal account. It may be possible to send money to a Vodacom M-Pesa account but there are heavy fees. It is best to avoid using PayPal in Tanzania. Use Xoom instead if you want to send money from a PayPal balance. Xoom is owned by PayPal. | $67.806.8% | 2,461,007TZS |
| Bank wireA flat wire fee of around $50, plus a markup of roughly 2%-4% on the exchange rate. For this reason, a bank wire transfer to Tanzania only makes sense for large transactions. | $78.507.9% | 2,432,760TZS |
On $1,000, Wise costs about $9.50 and Bank wire about $78.50. That's a difference of $69.00 for the same money, or $828 over a year if you move this much every month.
Spending your own money in Tanzania
For when you are traveling there and the money is already yours. Costs are per $1,000 converted. Remember that some cards and ATMs charge you for every transaction rather than once.
| Method | Cost | You get |
|---|---|---|
| ATM withdrawalcheapestATMs in Tanzania charge a flat withdrawal fee of anywhere from 1,000-15,000 TZS ($0.38-$5.60). There is often a maximum withdrawal of 400,000-1,000,000 TZS or around $151-$378. You'll have to do 3 transactions to withdraw $1,000. This could cost around $16.80 or more in fees. CRDB and NMB usually offer the lowest fees. Your card may also charge a currency conversion fee on top of the ATM fees. This is usually 1%-3%. Some banks offer zero conversion fees. If the ATM asks if you want to accept their exchange rate, always say no. They will give you a worse rate than your bank. | $26.802.7% | 2,569,248TZS |
| CashThe average spread when exchanging USD to Tanzanian shillings at a large bank or forex bureau is 2%-4%. At a bank, it is usually 3%-5%. | $30.003.0% | 2,560,800TZS |
| Card spendThe average spread when paying in Tanzanian shillings with a zero-fee travel credit card is under 0.5%. With a regular credit card, there may be foreign transaction fees of 1%-3% on top of that spread. Credit cards are not widely accepted in Tanzania. They are only accepted at large hotels, higher-end restaurants, and large supermarkets. You need to carry cash or use mobile money. | $39.704.0% | 2,535,192TZS |
On $1,000, ATM withdrawal costs about $26.80 and Card spend about $39.70. That's a difference of $12.90 for the same money, or $155 over a year if you move this much every month.
Figures use a rate of about 2,640 TZS to 1 USD; the calculator above uses the live rate.
How the money arrives in Tanzania
Most common first. Which of these your recipient can actually use usually matters more than a fraction of a percent in fees.
- 1Mobile money (Vodacom M-Pesa, Airtel Money, Tigo Pesa, etc.)
- 2Bank transfer to a Tanzanian bank account
- 3Cash pickup
Living in Tanzania, not just sending money there
A transfer is one number. These work out a whole month, including what the transfers cost you over a year.
- Cost of living in Zanzibar$1,719/mo