Cost of Living Comparison Between Arusha and Malappuram Cost of Living Comparison Between Arusha and Malappuram

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $201 per month in Arusha vs $319 in Malappuram, rent included.

A couple spends around $358 per month in Arusha vs $492 in Malappuram, rent included.

A family of three spends $514 per month in Arusha vs $665 in Malappuram, rent included.

Arusha is about 37% cheaper than Malappuram, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arusha and Malappuram are more affordable than the global median – Arusha 85% lower, Malappuram 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 TZS 8,869

$1.79 ₹171

89.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.94 TZS 72.9K

$8.26 ₹791

238.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.09 TZS 23.7K

$3.69 ₹353

146.34%

Cappuccino

$1.70 TZS 4,433

$1.53 ₹146

11.11%

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

$0.43 TZS 1,126

$0.37 ₹35.56

16.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 TZS 808

$0.11 ₹10.53

181.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 TZS 2,822

$1.44 ₹137

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 TZS 7,766

$2.65 ₹254

12.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.63 TZS 1,653

$0.57 ₹54.9

10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 TZS 1,572

$0.50 ₹48.20

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 TZS 2,363

$0.46 ₹43.74

97.83%

Eggs

$1.70 TZS 4,435

$0.82 ₹78.7

107.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.23 ₹405

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.88 ₹275

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 ₹177

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.3

Oranges (1kg)

$0.85 ₹81.5

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 TZS 2,051

$0.32 ₹30.27

146.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 TZS 1,061

$0.43 ₹41.61

-4.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 TZS 2,601

$0.36 ₹33.98

177.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 ₹91.7

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 TZS 1,226

$0.31 ₹29.66

51.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.50 ₹239

Wine (Bottle)

$1.72 ₹164

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 ₹153

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 ₹405

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

$3.72 ₹356

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 TZS 503

$0.15 ₹13.95

26.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.56 ₹437

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 ₹46.57

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 TZS 5,050

$0.33 ₹31.32

487.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.50 TZS 19.6K

$0.60 ₹57.4

1150.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 TZS 3,221

$1.22 ₹117

0.82%

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

$11.6K ₹1.1M

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

$18.0K ₹1.7M

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

$32.60 ₹3,120

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

$9.42 TZS 24.6K

$2.96 ₹283

218.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 TZS 131.2K

$7.15 ₹684

603.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$7.06 ₹676

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.52 ₹432

Cinema Ticket

$3.97 TZS 10.3K

$1.99 ₹190

99.50%

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

$32.45 ₹3,105

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K TZS 27.3M

$932 ₹89.2K

1020.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.02 ₹1,437

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.29 ₹2,037

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$25.87 ₹2,475

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.08 ₹1,443

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$116 ₹11.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$69.6 ₹6,662

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$294 TZS 768.2K

$197 ₹18.9K

49.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 ₹13.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,388 ₹611.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$368 ₹35.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$213 ₹20.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.69

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

Last update for Arusha: June 2, 2026

Last update for Malappuram: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Arusha versus $8.00 in Malappuram. Groceries tell a different story – $36.00 in Arusha vs $90.0 in Malappuram – 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 Malappuram: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $201 in Arusha, $319 in Malappuram – roughly 59% apart. Malappuram 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 $479 in Malappuram. 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 $8.00 in Malappuram. 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 $319 in Malappuram. 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 $319 in Malappuram, 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.

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, Malappuram makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.