Cost of Living Comparison Between Arusha and Mbeya Cost of Living Comparison Between Arusha and Mbeya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $543 per month in Arusha vs $426 in Mbeya, rent included.

A couple spends around $886 per month in Arusha vs $666 in Mbeya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,229 per month in Arusha vs $905 in Mbeya, rent included.

Arusha costs about 27% more than Mbeya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arusha and Mbeya are more affordable than the global median – Arusha 61% lower, Mbeya 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.43 TZS 9,005

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.05 TZS 73.7K

$22.30 TZS 58.6K

25.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.20 TZS 24.2K

$7.39 TZS 19.4K

24.49%

Cappuccino

$1.75 TZS 4,606

$1.53 TZS 4,034

14.38%

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

$0.94 TZS 2,473

$0.39 TZS 1,038

141.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 TZS 875

$0.36 TZS 955

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.07 TZS 2,821

$0.77 TZS 2,028

38.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 TZS 7,588

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 TZS 2,451

$0.56 TZS 1,470

66.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 TZS 1,675

$0.92 TZS 2,431

-30.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 TZS 4,534

$0.91 TZS 2,380

89.01%

Eggs

$1.75 TZS 4,592

$2.32 TZS 6,106

-24.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.68 TZS 9,665

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.83 TZS 10.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.32 TZS 8,732

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 TZS 6,077

$1.10 TZS 2,888

110.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.79 TZS 2,086

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 TZS 2,404

Tomato (1kg)

$0.80 TZS 2,090

$0.79 TZS 2,065

1.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 TZS 1,207

$1.00 TZS 2,617

-54.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 TZS 2,677

$0.75 TZS 1,967

36.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 TZS 1,549

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 TZS 2,051

$0.74 TZS 1,946

5.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.53 TZS 4,023

$1.11 TZS 2,930

37.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.87 TZS 10.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 TZS 2,450

$0.79 TZS 2,087

17.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 TZS 2,447

$1.10 TZS 2,885

-15.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 TZS 479

$0.40 TZS 1,044

-55.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 TZS 2,929

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 TZS 5,039

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.73 TZS 20.3K

$2.57 TZS 6,760

200.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 TZS 3,515

$1.25 TZS 3,275

7.20%

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

$28.66 TZS 75.4K

$23.71 TZS 62.3K

20.88%

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

$8.35 TZS 22.0K

$18.59 TZS 48.9K

-55.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.03 TZS 123.6K

$45.17 TZS 118.7K

4.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.7 TZS 167.5K

$37.78 TZS 99.3K

68.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 TZS 12.3K

$9.52 TZS 25.0K

-50.63%

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

$189 TZS 496.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,607 TZS 20.0M

$1,150 TZS 3.0M

561.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.29 TZS 29.7K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.32 TZS 24.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$18.57 TZS 48.8K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.49 TZS 69.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 TZS 743.8K

$116 TZS 303.9K

144.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 TZS 625.4K

$76.8 TZS 201.8K

209.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 TZS 1.3M

$187 TZS 491.6K

165.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$527 TZS 1.4M

$113 TZS 295.8K

368.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$193 TZS 506.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Arusha: September 5, 2026

Last update for Mbeya: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $283 in Arusha versus $116 in Mbeya. 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 $22.00 in Mbeya. Groceries tell a different story – $64.0 in Arusha vs $115 in Mbeya – 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 Mbeya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $543 in Arusha, $426 in Mbeya – roughly 27% apart. Arusha 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 $639 in Mbeya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mbeya, 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 $22.00 in Mbeya. 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 $426 in Mbeya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $543 in Arusha and $426 in Mbeya, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Mbeya – 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 Mbeya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arusha makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.