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 $200 per month in Arusha vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $357 per month in Arusha vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $514 per month in Arusha vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

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

Both Arusha and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Arusha 85% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.38 TZS 8,877

$1.96 ฿65.7

72.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.02 TZS 73.5K

$18.35 ฿616

52.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.16 TZS 24.0K

$7.48 ฿251

22.46%

Cappuccino

$1.74 TZS 4,574

$2.02 ฿67.7

-13.86%

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

$0.43 TZS 1,127

$0.85 ฿28.45

-49.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 TZS 878

$0.36 ฿11.94

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 TZS 2,832

$2.14 ฿71.7

-49.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 TZS 7,424

$3.59 ฿121

-21.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.64 TZS 1,691

$1.65 ฿55.4

-61.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 TZS 1,492

$1.57 ฿52.6

-63.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 TZS 2,325

$1.19 ฿39.95

-25.21%

Eggs

$1.72 TZS 4,500

$1.94 ฿65.0

-11.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿100

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿367

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.0

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.18

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 TZS 1,967

$1.60 ฿53.9

-53.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 TZS 1,066

$1.38 ฿46.45

-70.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 TZS 2,572

$1.20 ฿40.38

-18.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.46

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 TZS 1,217

$0.56 ฿18.70

-17.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿591

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 TZS 506

$0.88 ฿29.63

-78.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿649

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.82

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.93 TZS 5,061

$1.34 ฿44.90

44.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.81 TZS 20.5K

$8.21 ฿276

-4.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 TZS 3,125

$1.22 ฿41.11

-2.46%

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

$21.4K ฿716.8K

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

$22.5K ฿756.3K

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

$70.7 ฿2,372

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

$9.46 TZS 24.8K

$14.04 ฿471

-32.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 TZS 133.1K

$17.49 ฿587

189.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,415

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$3.76 TZS 9,879

$5.92 ฿199

-36.49%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K TZS 26.9M

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-31.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,872

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿877

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,787

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,365

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,020

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$289 TZS 757.2K

$822 ฿27.6K

-64.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Arusha: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Arusha versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $35.00 in Arusha vs $243 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: $200 in Arusha, $861 in Chiang Mai – roughly 330% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $300 per month in Arusha and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Arusha and $18.00 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 $200 in Arusha and $861 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $200 in Arusha and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $200 in Arusha to $861 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.