Cost of Living Comparison Between Arusha and Zanzibar Cost of Living Comparison Between Arusha and Zanzibar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $548 per month in Arusha vs $590 in Zanzibar, rent included.

A couple spends around $883 per month in Arusha vs $870 in Zanzibar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,218 per month in Arusha vs $1,151 in Zanzibar, rent included.

Arusha is about 7% cheaper than Zanzibar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arusha and Zanzibar are more affordable than the global median – Arusha 60% lower, Zanzibar 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 TZS 8,986

$4.70 TZS 12.4K

-27.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.47 TZS 72.2K

$21.55 TZS 56.6K

27.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.44 TZS 24.8K

$5.68 TZS 14.9K

66.20%

Cappuccino

$1.77 TZS 4,642

$2.11 TZS 5,553

-16.11%

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

$0.96 TZS 2,513

$0.58 TZS 1,520

65.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 TZS 875

$0.30 TZS 777

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 TZS 2,700

$1.93 TZS 5,070

-46.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 TZS 7,510

$2.73 TZS 7,168

4.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 TZS 2,548

$2.10 TZS 5,517

-53.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 TZS 1,763

$0.77 TZS 2,021

-12.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 TZS 4,458

$0.80 TZS 2,102

112.50%

Eggs

$1.73 TZS 4,558

$2.69 TZS 7,063

-35.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 TZS 20.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.20 TZS 5,793

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.00 TZS 15.8K

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 TZS 5,815

$2.89 TZS 7,587

-23.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 TZS 3,045

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 TZS 1,930

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 TZS 2,026

$0.55 TZS 1,433

40.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 TZS 1,197

$0.96 TZS 2,522

-52.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 TZS 2,811

$1.49 TZS 3,929

-28.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 TZS 1,947

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 TZS 2,075

$0.45 TZS 1,191

75.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.48 TZS 3,880

$2.09 TZS 5,483

-29.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.32 TZS 24.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 TZS 2,383

$1.47 TZS 3,862

-38.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 TZS 2,572

$1.35 TZS 3,548

-27.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 TZS 569

$0.31 TZS 818

-29.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 TZS 9,701

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 TZS 1,909

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.44 TZS 19.6K

$2.67 TZS 7,010

178.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 TZS 3,533

$1.14 TZS 2,994

17.54%

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

$50.2K TZS 132.0M

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

$27.99 TZS 73.6K

$73.2 TZS 192.4K

-61.75%

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

$8.27 TZS 21.7K

$11.39 TZS 29.9K

-27.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.52 TZS 122.3K

$48.19 TZS 126.7K

-3.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.8 TZS 167.8K

$28.71 TZS 75.5K

122.29%

Cinema Ticket

$4.68 TZS 12.3K

$9.22 TZS 24.2K

-49.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,551 TZS 19.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.96 TZS 34.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.70 TZS 43.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$14.94 TZS 39.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$13.38 TZS 35.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 TZS 746.1K

$148 TZS 387.9K

92.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$234 TZS 615.8K

$101 TZS 265.8K

131.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$495 TZS 1.3M

$202 TZS 532.2K

144.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 TZS 1.4M

$152 TZS 400.0K

245.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$37.2K TZS 97.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.3K TZS 29.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$310 TZS 814.5K

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 14, 2026

Last update for Zanzibar: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $284 in Arusha versus $148 in Zanzibar. 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 $27.00 in Arusha versus $22.00 in Zanzibar. Groceries tell a different story – $64.0 in Arusha vs $165 in Zanzibar – 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 Zanzibar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $548 in Arusha, $590 in Zanzibar – roughly 8% apart. Zanzibar costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $822 per month in Arusha and $885 in Zanzibar. 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 $27.00 in Arusha and $22.00 in Zanzibar. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $548 in Arusha and $590 in Zanzibar. 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 $548 in Arusha and $590 in Zanzibar, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Arusha – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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