Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Arusha and Athens

For one person, living is cheaper in Arusha: $544 a month against $1,779 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Arusha, Tanzania
Athens, Greece
Arusha
🇹🇿 Tanzania
$544
/mo nomad
Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,779
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Arusha and in Athens

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Arusha and in Athens actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $544 per month in Arusha vs $1,779 in Athens, rent included.

  • Arusha $544
  • Athens $1,779

A couple spends around $874 per month in Arusha vs $2,721 in Athens, rent included.

  • Arusha $874
  • Athens $2,721

A family of three spends $1,205 per month in Arusha vs $3,663 in Athens, rent included.

  • Arusha $1,205
  • Athens $3,663

Arusha is about 69% cheaper than Athens, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Arusha sits 60% below the global median, while Athens is 32% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Arusha
Athens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.27 TZS 8,624
$16.83 €14.99
-80.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$26.90 TZS 70.9K
$66.0 €58.8
-59.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.86 TZS 23.4K
$11.21 €9.99
-20.96%
Cappuccino
$1.70 TZS 4,473
$4.08 €3.64
-58.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 TZS 2,282
$2.77 €2.47
-68.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.32 TZS 854
$0.54 €0.48
-40.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.05 TZS 2,768
$5.70 €5.08
-81.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81 TZS 7,405
$6.26 €5.58
-55.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Arusha
Athens
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.91 TZS 2,405
$1.84 €1.64
-50.54%
White Bread (500g)
$0.67 TZS 1,773
$1.43 €1.27
-53.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.72 TZS 4,527
$2.67 €2.38
-35.58%
Eggs
$1.73 TZS 4,569
$4.95 €4.41
-65.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$15.09 €13.45
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$10.99 €9.79
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$19.77 €17.61
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 TZS 5,808
$2.12 €1.89
3.77%
Banana (1kg)
-
$1.98 €1.76
-
Oranges (1kg)
-
$1.33 €1.19
-
Tomato (1kg)
$0.75 TZS 1,969
$2.16 €1.92
-65.28%
Potato (1kg)
$0.46 TZS 1,209
$1.06 €0.94
-56.60%
Onion (1kg)
$1.02 TZS 2,684
$1.15 €1.02
-11.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.08 €0.97
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.86 TZS 2,258
$0.85 €0.75
1.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.53 TZS 4,029
$5.46 €4.86
-71.98%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$10.03 €8.93
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.93 TZS 2,453
$2.04 €1.82
-54.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99 TZS 2,602
$2.38 €2.12
-58.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Arusha
Athens
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 TZS 711
$1.35 €1.20
-80.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$30.52 €27.19
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$3.81 €3.39
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.03 €0.92
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.35 TZS 19.4K
$16.49 €14.68
-55.43%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.29 TZS 3,407
$2.34 €2.09
-44.87%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$27.8K €24.7K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$26.6K €23.7K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Arusha
Athens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$28.64 TZS 75.5K
$202 €180
-85.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.34 TZS 22.0K
$26.81 €23.88
-68.89%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.33 TZS 124.7K
$30.49 €27.16
55.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Arusha
Athens
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$63.8 TZS 168.0K
$54.1 €48.17
17.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$27.40 €24.41
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.59 TZS 12.1K
$10.44 €9.30
-56.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Arusha
Athens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$568 €506
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,703 TZS 20.3M
$15.2K €13.5K
-49.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Arusha
Athens
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$90.7 €80.8
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$39.32 €35.03
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$105 €93.7
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$129 €115
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Arusha
Athens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$280 TZS 738.5K
$742 €661
-62.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$232 TZS 611.3K
$648 €578
-64.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$491 TZS 1.3M
$1,271 €1,132
-61.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$511 TZS 1.3M
$1,122 €999
-54.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,999 €3,562
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,281 €2,923
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Arusha
Athens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,245 €1,109
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
4.44
-

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Arusha: November 2, 2026

Last update for Athens: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Arusha
–
Athens
$648
Groceries & Markets
Arusha
–
Athens
$316
Eating Out
Arusha
–
Athens
$272
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Arusha
–
Athens
$260
Clothing & Footwear
Arusha
–
Athens
$164
Sport & Entertainment
Arusha
–
Athens
$75
Getting Around
Arusha
–
Athens
$45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $280 in Arusha versus $742 in Athens. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27 in Arusha versus $66 in Athens. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $65 vs $316 – making Arusha the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇿 Arusha
🇬🇷 Athens
🕒 Local time
21:49 9:49 PM
20:49 8:49 PM
1 h behind Arusha
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
617,631
3,090,508 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to TZS – Tanzanian Shilling Converter

Tanzanian Shilling exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 2,635 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.8 USD). 1 EUR = 2,961 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.38 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 0.891 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Arusha Athens 4,790 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Arusha
  • Athens

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Arusha vs Athens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Arusha and in Athens compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $544 in Arusha, $1,779 in Athens – Arusha comes out roughly 69% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Arusha compared to Athens?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $816 per month in Arusha and $2,669 in Athens. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Arusha and Athens?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Arusha, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $280 there versus $742 in Athens.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $27 in Arusha and $66 in Athens. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Arusha or Athens?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $544 in Arusha and $1,779 in Athens. That makes Arusha about 69% cheaper.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Arusha, where all-in costs run around $544, than in Athens at $1,779. In Arusha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Athens it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Arusha and Athens?
It depends on your priorities. Athens has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $544 in Arusha to $1,779 in Athens. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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