Cost of Living Comparison Between Arusha and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Arusha and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $543 per month in Arusha vs $2,268 in Lisbon, rent included.

A couple spends around $886 per month in Arusha vs $3,348 in Lisbon, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,229 per month in Arusha vs $4,429 in Lisbon, rent included.

Arusha is about 76% cheaper than Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Arusha sits 61% below the global median, while Lisbon is 64% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.43 TZS 9,005

$17.55 €15.12

-80.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.05 TZS 73.7K

$64.5 €55.6

-56.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.20 TZS 24.2K

$11.65 €10.04

-21.03%

Cappuccino

$1.75 TZS 4,606

$3.26 €2.81

-46.32%

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

$0.94 TZS 2,473

$2.49 €2.15

-62.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 TZS 875

$1.67 €1.44

-80.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.07 TZS 2,821

$3.47 €2.99

-69.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 TZS 7,588

$3.58 €3.08

-19.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 TZS 2,451

$1.18 €1.02

-21.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 TZS 1,675

$1.95 €1.68

-67.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 TZS 4,534

$1.56 €1.35

10.26%

Eggs

$1.75 TZS 4,592

$4.01 €3.46

-56.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 TZS 6,077

$2.32 €2.00

-0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

Tomato (1kg)

$0.80 TZS 2,090

$2.64 €2.27

-69.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 TZS 1,207

$1.90 €1.64

-75.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 TZS 2,677

$2.11 €1.82

-51.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 TZS 2,051

$0.80 €0.69

-2.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.53 TZS 4,023

$7.01 €6.04

-78.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 TZS 2,450

$1.36 €1.18

-31.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 TZS 2,447

$2.15 €1.85

-56.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 TZS 479

$2.38 €2.05

-92.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.73 TZS 20.3K

$17.26 €14.88

-55.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 TZS 3,515

$2.25 €1.94

-40.44%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

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

$41.6K €35.9K

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

$28.66 TZS 75.4K

$171 €147

-83.23%

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

$8.35 TZS 22.0K

$19.01 €16.38

-56.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.03 TZS 123.6K

$34.28 €29.55

37.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.7 TZS 167.5K

$49.65 €42.80

28.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 TZS 12.3K

$10.10 €8.71

-53.47%

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

$699 €603

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,607 TZS 20.0M

$17.8K €15.3K

-57.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 TZS 743.8K

$1,661 €1,432

-82.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 TZS 625.4K

$1,228 €1,059

-80.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 TZS 1.3M

$2,915 €2,513

-82.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$527 TZS 1.4M

$2,023 €1,744

-73.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

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

Last update for Arusha: September 5, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $283 in Arusha versus $1,661 in Lisbon. 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 $64.0 in Lisbon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $64.0 vs $281 – 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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $543 in Arusha, $2,268 in Lisbon – roughly 318% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $814 per month in Arusha and $3,402 in Lisbon. 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 $64.0 in Lisbon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $543 in Arusha and $2,268 in Lisbon. 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 $543, than in Lisbon at $2,268. In Arusha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $543 in Arusha to $2,268 in Lisbon. 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, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.