Cost of Living Comparison Between Arusha and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Arusha and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $562 per month in Arusha vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $905 per month in Arusha vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,248 per month in Arusha vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Arusha is about 41% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arusha and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Arusha 59% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 TZS 9,091

$2.08 ฿69.4

66.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.10 TZS 73.9K

$19.64 ฿654

43.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.12 TZS 24.0K

$5.65 ฿188

61.42%

Cappuccino

$1.78 TZS 4,680

$1.81 ฿60.1

-1.66%

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

$0.90 TZS 2,377

$0.71 ฿23.75

26.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 TZS 800

$0.32 ฿10.52

-6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 TZS 2,734

$2.24 ฿74.5

-53.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 TZS 7,348

$3.63 ฿121

-23.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 TZS 2,552

$1.96 ฿65.2

-50.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 TZS 1,706

$1.50 ฿50.0

-56.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 TZS 4,347

$1.34 ฿44.49

23.13%

Eggs

$1.67 TZS 4,387

$2.26 ฿75.4

-26.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿541

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.4

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿331

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 TZS 5,832

$2.57 ฿85.7

-13.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.18

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.7

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 TZS 1,900

$1.52 ฿50.6

-52.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 TZS 1,276

$1.27 ฿42.30

-61.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 TZS 2,810

$1.07 ฿35.51

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.98

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 TZS 2,242

$0.51 ฿16.94

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.55 TZS 4,077

$4.19 ฿140

-63.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿595

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 TZS 2,442

$1.69 ฿56.4

-44.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 TZS 2,619

$2.84 ฿94.5

-64.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 TZS 481

$0.93 ฿30.82

-80.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,794

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿41.11

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.20

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.63 TZS 20.1K

$2.42 ฿80.7

215.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 TZS 3,387

$1.41 ฿47.03

-8.51%

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

$21.4K ฿714.1K

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

$27.3K ฿910.2K

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

$28.92 TZS 76.0K

$63.7 ฿2,120

-54.58%

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

$8.68 TZS 22.8K

$12.85 ฿428

-32.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.20 TZS 126.7K

$20.22 ฿673

138.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.7 TZS 170.1K

$38.74 ฿1,290

67.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 TZS 12.3K

$6.74 ฿224

-30.71%

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

$778 ฿25.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,465 TZS 19.6M

$14.6K ฿486.5K

-48.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,808

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿847

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,141

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,446

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$288 TZS 757.7K

$490 ฿16.3K

-41.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 TZS 609.7K

$289 ฿9,634

-19.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$489 TZS 1.3M

$894 ฿29.8K

-45.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 TZS 1.4M

$517 ฿17.2K

-0.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿65.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿49.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Arusha: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $288 in Arusha versus $490 in Chiang Mai. 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $65.0 in Arusha vs $240 in Chiang Mai – so Arusha wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $562 in Arusha, $947 in Chiang Mai – roughly 69% apart. Chiang Mai 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 $1,421 in Chiang Mai. 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai. 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 $947 in Chiang Mai. 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 Chiang Mai at $947. In Arusha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $562 in Arusha to $947 in Chiang Mai. 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, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.