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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $201 per month in Arusha vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $358 per month in Arusha vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $514 per month in Arusha vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Arusha is about 84% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arusha and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Arusha 85% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 TZS 8,767

$4.70 ฿153

-27.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.94 TZS 72.1K

$45.37 ฿1,482

-38.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.09 TZS 23.4K

$8.43 ฿275

7.83%

Cappuccino

$1.70 TZS 4,382

$2.93 ฿95.6

-41.98%

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

$0.43 TZS 1,113

$0.69 ฿22.40

-37.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 TZS 799

$0.37 ฿11.99

-16.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 TZS 2,790

$2.41 ฿78.6

-55.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 TZS 7,677

$3.72 ฿122

-19.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.63 TZS 1,634

$2.23 ฿72.9

-71.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 TZS 1,554

$1.83 ฿59.8

-67.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 TZS 2,336

$2.17 ฿70.8

-58.06%

Eggs

$1.70 TZS 4,384

$2.21 ฿72.3

-23.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 TZS 2,027

$2.08 ฿68.1

-62.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 TZS 1,048

$1.53 ฿49.93

-73.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 TZS 2,571

$1.48 ฿48.36

-32.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 TZS 1,212

$0.51 ฿16.67

-7.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 TZS 497

$1.37 ฿44.79

-86.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 TZS 4,992

$0.99 ฿32.48

95.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.50 TZS 19.3K

$14.10 ฿461

-46.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 TZS 3,184

$1.36 ฿44.51

-9.56%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿3,975

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

$9.42 TZS 24.3K

$13.57 ฿443

-30.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.3 TZS 129.7K

$18.31 ฿598

174.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$3.97 TZS 10.2K

$8.69 ฿284

-54.32%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K TZS 26.9M

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-33.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$294 TZS 759.3K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-85.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Arusha: June 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Arusha versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $36.00 vs $293 – 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: $201 in Arusha, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 529% apart. Phuket 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 $1,898 in Phuket. 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 $45.00 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 $201 in Arusha and $1,265 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 $201, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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 $201 in Arusha to $1,265 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.