Cost of Living Comparison Between Arusha and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Arusha and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $562 per month in Arusha vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $905 per month in Arusha vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,248 per month in Arusha vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Arusha is about 55% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arusha and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Arusha 59% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 TZS 9,091

$4.56 ฿151

-24.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.10 TZS 73.9K

$32.62 ฿1,082

-13.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.12 TZS 24.0K

$8.90 ฿295

2.47%

Cappuccino

$1.78 TZS 4,680

$2.80 ฿93.0

-36.43%

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

$0.90 TZS 2,377

$0.88 ฿29.19

2.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 TZS 800

$0.49 ฿16.23

-38.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 TZS 2,734

$2.39 ฿79.2

-56.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 TZS 7,348

$3.71 ฿123

-24.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 TZS 2,552

$1.79 ฿59.3

-45.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 TZS 1,706

$1.44 ฿47.81

-54.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 TZS 4,347

$1.58 ฿52.6

4.43%

Eggs

$1.67 TZS 4,387

$2.13 ฿70.5

-21.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿661

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿114

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿376

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 TZS 5,832

$2.95 ฿97.8

-24.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.1

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿77.1

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 TZS 1,900

$2.08 ฿69.0

-65.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 TZS 1,276

$1.47 ฿48.77

-66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 TZS 2,810

$1.36 ฿45.05

-21.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.45

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 TZS 2,242

$0.57 ฿19.06

49.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.55 TZS 4,077

$4.27 ฿142

-63.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿611

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 TZS 2,442

$1.87 ฿62.1

-50.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 TZS 2,619

$2.92 ฿96.9

-65.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 TZS 481

$2.22 ฿73.6

-91.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.63

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.63 TZS 20.1K

$3.93 ฿130

94.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 TZS 3,387

$1.49 ฿49.49

-13.42%

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

$27.1K ฿899.8K

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

$27.5K ฿910.6K

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

$28.92 TZS 76.0K

$103 ฿3,410

-71.87%

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

$8.68 TZS 22.8K

$10.99 ฿365

-21.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.20 TZS 126.7K

$17.51 ฿581

175.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.7 TZS 170.1K

$53.5 ฿1,776

20.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿371

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 TZS 12.3K

$7.48 ฿248

-37.57%

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

$557 ฿18.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,465 TZS 19.6M

$11.9K ฿393.2K

-37.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,125

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿964

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,183

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,997

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$288 TZS 757.7K

$730 ฿24.2K

-60.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 TZS 609.7K

$500 ฿16.6K

-53.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$489 TZS 1.3M

$2,090 ฿69.3K

-76.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 TZS 1.4M

$1,209 ฿40.1K

-57.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿119.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿83.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Arusha: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $288 in Arusha versus $730 in Phuket. 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 $33.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $65.0 vs $273 – 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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $562 in Arusha, $1,253 in Phuket – roughly 123% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $842 per month in Arusha and $1,880 in Phuket. 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 $33.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $562 in Arusha and $1,253 in Phuket. 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 $562, than in Phuket at $1,253. In Arusha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $562 in Arusha to $1,253 in Phuket. 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, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.