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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $201 per month in Arusha vs $298 in Kottayam, rent included.

A couple spends around $358 per month in Arusha vs $498 in Kottayam, rent included.

A family of three spends $514 per month in Arusha vs $697 in Kottayam, rent included.

Arusha is about 33% 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

$3.40 TZS 8,767

$1.19 ₹113

185.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.94 TZS 72.1K

$10.03 ₹955

178.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.09 TZS 23.4K

$3.96 ₹378

129.55%

Cappuccino

$1.70 TZS 4,382

$0.61 ₹57.7

178.69%

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

$0.43 TZS 1,113

$0.40 ₹38.48

7.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 TZS 799

$0.16 ₹15.18

93.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 TZS 2,790

$1.38 ₹131

-21.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 TZS 7,677

$2.84 ₹270

4.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.63 TZS 1,634

$0.62 ₹59.2

1.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 TZS 1,554

$0.43 ₹41.24

39.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 TZS 2,336

$0.78 ₹74.3

16.67%

Eggs

$1.70 TZS 4,384

$0.82 ₹78.1

107.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.27 ₹216

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.04 ₹289

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₹218

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 ₹59.8

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 ₹108

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 TZS 2,027

$0.49 ₹46.84

61.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 TZS 1,048

$0.47 ₹45.24

-12.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 TZS 2,571

$0.46 ₹43.39

117.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 ₹38.07

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 TZS 1,212

$0.33 ₹31.30

42.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 ₹396

Wine (Bottle)

$3.97 ₹378

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₹163

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 ₹338

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

$4.49 ₹428

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 TZS 497

$0.30 ₹28.61

-36.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.52 ₹812

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₹113

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 TZS 4,992

$0.32 ₹30.86

506.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.50 TZS 19.3K

$1.68 ₹160

346.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 TZS 3,184

$1.18 ₹112

4.24%

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

$9,374 ₹892.9K

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

$15.2K ₹1.4M

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

$27.76 ₹2,644

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

$9.42 TZS 24.3K

$3.39 ₹323

177.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 TZS 129.7K

$8.49 ₹809

492.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.86 ₹844

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.69 ₹1,114

Cinema Ticket

$3.97 TZS 10.2K

$2.10 ₹200

89.05%

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

$57.6 ₹5,482

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K TZS 26.9M

$1,564 ₹149.0K

567.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.36 ₹2,225

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.48 ₹1,665

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$25.68 ₹2,446

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.46 ₹1,663

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$139 ₹13.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.0 ₹5,527

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$294 TZS 759.3K

$287 ₹27.4K

2.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$165 ₹15.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$957 ₹91.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$548 ₹52.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$291 ₹27.8K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kottayam: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Arusha versus $10.00 in Kottayam. Groceries tell a different story – $36.00 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: $201 in Arusha, $298 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 $302 per month in Arusha and $448 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 $201 in Arusha and $298 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 $201 in Arusha and $298 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.