Cost of Living Comparison Between Arusha and Manipal Cost of Living Comparison Between Arusha and Manipal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $208 per month in Arusha vs $322 in Manipal, rent included.

A couple spends around $351 per month in Arusha vs $496 in Manipal, rent included.

A family of three spends $495 per month in Arusha vs $670 in Manipal, rent included.

Arusha is about 36% cheaper than Manipal, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Arusha and Manipal are more affordable than the global median – Arusha 84% lower, Manipal 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.43 TZS 9,007

$0.60 ₹56.9

471.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.12 TZS 73.9K

$6.93 ₹661

305.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.05 TZS 23.8K

$2.99 ₹285

202.68%

Cappuccino

$1.70 TZS 4,465

$1.35 ₹129

25.93%

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

$0.47 TZS 1,241

$0.45 ₹43.20

4.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 TZS 871

$0.17 ₹16.22

94.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 TZS 2,748

$1.73 ₹165

-39.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 TZS 7,832

$2.35 ₹224

26.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.64 TZS 1,679

$0.50 ₹48.09

28.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 TZS 1,465

$0.39 ₹37.64

43.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 TZS 2,488

$0.46 ₹43.55

106.52%

Eggs

$1.76 TZS 4,628

$0.81 ₹77.6

117.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.39 ₹227

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.98 ₹188

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 ₹120

Banana (1kg)

$0.73 ₹69.3

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 ₹86.0

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 TZS 1,981

$0.48 ₹45.84

56.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 TZS 1,068

$0.41 ₹38.76

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 TZS 2,450

$0.45 ₹42.65

106.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.13 ₹12.39

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 TZS 1,219

$0.33 ₹31.89

39.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.47 ₹331

Wine (Bottle)

$4.40 ₹420

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ₹80.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₹275

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

$3.58 ₹342

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 TZS 490

$0.22 ₹20.88

-13.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.89 ₹848

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 ₹40.48

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 TZS 4,943

$0.26 ₹24.90

623.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.67 TZS 20.2K

$1.43 ₹136

436.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 TZS 3,276

$1.16 ₹110

7.76%

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

$11.8K ₹1.1M

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

$21.7K ₹2.1M

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

$42.53 ₹4,056

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

$9.93 TZS 26.1K

$3.31 ₹316

200.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.0 TZS 131.5K

$7.09 ₹676

605.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.29 ₹1,840

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.81 ₹650

Cinema Ticket

$3.81 TZS 10.0K

$1.79 ₹171

112.85%

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

$23.55 ₹2,246

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K TZS 28.0M

$1,005 ₹95.9K

958.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.72 ₹1,308

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.82 ₹2,081

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.57 ₹2,248

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.18 ₹2,592

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$103 ₹9,834

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.5 ₹7,389

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$289 TZS 759.3K

$234 ₹22.3K

23.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 ₹16.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,065 ₹101.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$536 ₹51.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$713 ₹68.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.38

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

Last update for Arusha: July 27, 2026

Last update for Manipal: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Arusha versus $7.00 in Manipal. Groceries tell a different story – $35.00 in Arusha vs $73.0 in Manipal – 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 Manipal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $208 in Arusha, $322 in Manipal – roughly 55% apart. Manipal costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $311 per month in Arusha and $483 in Manipal. 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 $7.00 in Manipal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $208 in Arusha and $322 in Manipal. 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 $208 in Arusha and $322 in Manipal, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Manipal has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $208 in Arusha to $322 in Manipal. 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, Manipal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.