Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Arusha Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Arusha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $201 in Arusha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $358 in Arusha, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $514 in Arusha, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 331% more than Arusha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Arusha are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Arusha 85% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.40 TZS 8,767

-42.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$27.94 TZS 72.1K

-33.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$9.09 TZS 23.4K

-13.97%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.70 TZS 4,382

14.71%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.43 TZS 1,113

97.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.31 TZS 799

12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.08 TZS 2,790

97.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.98 TZS 7,677

25.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.63 TZS 1,634

171.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.60 TZS 1,554

171.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$0.91 TZS 2,336

25.27%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.70 TZS 4,384

13.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.79 TZS 2,027

101.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.41 TZS 1,048

241.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.00 TZS 2,571

17.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.47 TZS 1,212

12.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.19 TZS 497

373.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.94 TZS 4,992

-33.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$7.50 TZS 19.3K

4.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.23 TZS 3,184

3.25%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

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

$14.08 ฿460

$9.42 TZS 24.3K

49.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$50.3 TZS 129.7K

-64.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.97 TZS 10.2K

49.12%

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

$299 ฿9,766

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$10.4K TZS 26.9M

43.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$294 TZS 759.3K

172.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Arusha: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $28.00 in Arusha. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $36.00 in Arusha – 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

Chiang Mai vs Arusha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai, $201 in Arusha – roughly 331% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $302 in Arusha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $28.00 in Arusha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $866 in Chiang Mai and $201 in Arusha. 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $201 in Arusha, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $201 in Arusha to $866 in Chiang Mai. 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, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.