Cost of Living Comparison Between Arusha and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Arusha and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $200 per month in Arusha vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $357 per month in Arusha vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $514 per month in Arusha vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Arusha is about 84% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.38 TZS 8,877

$11.99 MX$210

-71.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.02 TZS 73.5K

$41.78 MX$731

-32.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.16 TZS 24.0K

$10.75 MX$188

-14.79%

Cappuccino

$1.74 TZS 4,574

$3.50 MX$61.1

-50.29%

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

$0.43 TZS 1,127

$1.45 MX$25.33

-70.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 TZS 878

$0.88 MX$15.47

-62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 TZS 2,832

$2.95 MX$51.6

-63.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 TZS 7,424

$4.51 MX$78.9

-37.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.64 TZS 1,691

$1.43 MX$25.04

-55.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 TZS 1,492

$1.84 MX$32.13

-69.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 TZS 2,325

$1.57 MX$27.42

-43.31%

Eggs

$1.72 TZS 4,500

$2.51 MX$43.92

-31.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.62

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.15

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.31

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 TZS 1,967

$2.09 MX$36.62

-64.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 TZS 1,066

$1.85 MX$32.37

-77.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 TZS 2,572

$2.17 MX$37.90

-54.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.04

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 TZS 1,217

$1.07 MX$18.78

-57.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.7

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.29

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.17

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 TZS 506

$0.51 MX$8.90

-62.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.5

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.93 TZS 5,061

$2.41 MX$42.06

-19.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.81 TZS 20.5K

$3.23 MX$56.5

141.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 TZS 3,125

$1.32 MX$23.10

-9.85%

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

$29.7K MX$519.2K

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

$23.7K MX$413.7K

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

$82.0 MX$1,434

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

$9.46 TZS 24.8K

$22.95 MX$401

-58.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 TZS 133.1K

$30.11 MX$527

68.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$909

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$324

Cinema Ticket

$3.76 TZS 9,879

$4.98 MX$87.0

-24.50%

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

$197 MX$3,452

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K TZS 26.9M

$5,336 MX$93.3K

91.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$622

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$705

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,377

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,288

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$289 TZS 757.2K

$1,644 MX$28.7K

-82.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Arusha: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Arusha versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $35.00 vs $249 – 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 Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $200 in Arusha, $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 528% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $300 per month in Arusha and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $200 in Arusha and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $200, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Arusha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $200 in Arusha to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Arusha. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.