Cost of Living Comparison Between Arusha and Kottayam Cost of Living Comparison Between Arusha and Kottayam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $200 per month in Arusha vs $296 in Kottayam, rent included.

A couple spends around $357 per month in Arusha vs $486 in Kottayam, rent included.

A family of three spends $514 per month in Arusha vs $676 in Kottayam, rent included.

Arusha is about 32% cheaper than Kottayam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arusha and Kottayam are more affordable than the global median – Arusha 85% lower, Kottayam 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.38 TZS 8,877

$1.18 ₹113

186.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.02 TZS 73.5K

$9.68 ₹932

189.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.16 TZS 24.0K

$3.98 ₹384

130.15%

Cappuccino

$1.74 TZS 4,574

$0.60 ₹58.2

190.00%

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

$0.43 TZS 1,127

$0.37 ₹35.92

16.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 TZS 878

$0.13 ₹12.62

153.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 TZS 2,832

$1.37 ₹132

-21.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 TZS 7,424

$2.96 ₹285

-4.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.64 TZS 1,691

$0.59 ₹57.0

8.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 TZS 1,492

$0.44 ₹42.29

29.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 TZS 2,325

$0.77 ₹74.2

15.58%

Eggs

$1.72 TZS 4,500

$0.87 ₹84.1

97.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.38 ₹229

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ₹292

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ₹229

Banana (1kg)

$0.61 ₹58.6

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 ₹110

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 TZS 1,967

$0.49 ₹46.83

53.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 TZS 1,066

$0.51 ₹48.89

-19.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 TZS 2,572

$0.45 ₹43.66

117.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 ₹40.84

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 TZS 1,217

$0.35 ₹34.04

31.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 ₹389

Wine (Bottle)

$3.81 ₹367

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 ₹164

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 ₹344

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$4.68 ₹450

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 TZS 506

$0.28 ₹26.82

-32.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.88 ₹854

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₹114

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.93 TZS 5,061

$0.30 ₹28.42

543.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.81 TZS 20.5K

$1.64 ₹158

376.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 TZS 3,125

$1.17 ₹112

1.71%

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

$9,304 ₹895.7K

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

$15.3K ₹1.5M

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

$27.02 ₹2,601

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

$9.46 TZS 24.8K

$3.43 ₹330

175.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 TZS 133.1K

$8.15 ₹785

522.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.87 ₹854

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.74 ₹1,130

Cinema Ticket

$3.76 TZS 9,879

$2.08 ₹200

80.77%

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

$57.2 ₹5,509

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K TZS 26.9M

$1,537 ₹147.9K

566.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.58 ₹2,270

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.57 ₹1,691

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$25.53 ₹2,458

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.31 ₹1,666

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$141 ₹13.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.9 ₹5,672

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$289 TZS 757.2K

$288 ₹27.8K

0.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$161 ₹15.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$954 ₹91.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$556 ₹53.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$284 ₹27.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.36

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

Last update for Arusha: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kottayam: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Arusha versus $10.00 in Kottayam. Groceries tell a different story – $35.00 in Arusha vs $93.0 in Kottayam – 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 Kottayam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $200 in Arusha, $296 in Kottayam – roughly 48% apart. Kottayam 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 $444 in Kottayam. 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 $10.00 in Kottayam. 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 $296 in Kottayam. 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 $296 in Kottayam, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Arusha – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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