Cost of Living Comparison Between Arusha and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Arusha and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $562 per month in Arusha vs $2,495 in Barcelona, rent included.

A couple spends around $905 per month in Arusha vs $3,550 in Barcelona, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,248 per month in Arusha vs $4,605 in Barcelona, rent included.

Arusha is about 77% cheaper than Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Arusha sits 59% below the global median, while Barcelona is 82% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 TZS 9,091

$18.39 €15.87

-81.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.10 TZS 73.9K

$69.2 €59.7

-59.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.12 TZS 24.0K

$14.13 €12.19

-35.46%

Cappuccino

$1.78 TZS 4,680

$3.13 €2.70

-43.13%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 TZS 2,377

$3.02 €2.60

-70.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 TZS 800

$1.96 €1.69

-84.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 TZS 2,734

$4.00 €3.45

-74.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 TZS 7,348

$4.76 €4.11

-41.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 TZS 2,552

$1.25 €1.08

-22.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 TZS 1,706

$2.16 €1.87

-69.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 TZS 4,347

$1.69 €1.45

-2.37%

Eggs

$1.67 TZS 4,387

$4.93 €4.26

-66.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.43

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 €8.29

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.34 €16.69

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 TZS 5,832

$3.24 €2.79

-31.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 €1.88

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 TZS 1,900

$2.77 €2.39

-74.01%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 TZS 1,276

$2.21 €1.91

-77.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 TZS 2,810

$2.19 €1.89

-51.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 €1.31

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 TZS 2,242

$0.92 €0.80

-7.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.55 TZS 4,077

$7.12 €6.14

-78.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.14 €7.02

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 TZS 2,442

$1.50 €1.29

-38.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 TZS 2,619

$2.78 €2.40

-64.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 TZS 481

$3.15 €2.72

-94.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.99 €23.29

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 €2.80

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 €1.30

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.63 TZS 20.1K

$34.89 €30.11

-78.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 TZS 3,387

$1.75 €1.51

-26.29%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.7K €31.6K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$30.9K €26.7K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$28.92 TZS 76.0K

$188 €162

-84.59%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$8.68 TZS 22.8K

$15.44 €13.32

-43.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.20 TZS 126.7K

$37.80 €32.61

27.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.7 TZS 170.1K

$57.2 €49.34

13.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 €14.49

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 TZS 12.3K

$11.58 €9.99

-59.67%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,003 €865

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,465 TZS 19.6M

$17.0K €14.7K

-56.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.2 €77.0

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.87 €35.27

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €94.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €106

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$288 TZS 757.7K

$1,673 €1,444

-82.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 TZS 609.7K

$1,331 €1,149

-82.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$489 TZS 1.3M

$2,596 €2,240

-81.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 TZS 1.4M

$1,950 €1,683

-73.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,573 €6,535

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,370 €4,634

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,402 €2,073

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

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

Last update for Arusha: August 31, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $288 in Arusha versus $1,673 in Barcelona. 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 $28.00 in Arusha versus $69.0 in Barcelona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $65.0 vs $332 – making Arusha the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $562 in Arusha, $2,495 in Barcelona – roughly 344% apart. Barcelona costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $842 per month in Arusha and $3,743 in Barcelona. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arusha, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Arusha and $69.0 in Barcelona. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $562 in Arusha and $2,495 in Barcelona. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arusha, where all-in costs run around $562, than in Barcelona at $2,495. In Arusha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Barcelona has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $562 in Arusha to $2,495 in Barcelona. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Arusha. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Barcelona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.