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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $548 in Arusha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $883 in Arusha, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,218 in Arusha, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 70% more than Arusha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Arusha are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Arusha 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$3.42 TZS 8,986

-39.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$27.47 TZS 72.2K

-28.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$9.44 TZS 24.8K

-39.94%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.77 TZS 4,642

2.26%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.96 TZS 2,513

-19.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.33 TZS 875

6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.03 TZS 2,700

114.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.86 TZS 7,510

32.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$0.97 TZS 2,548

111.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.67 TZS 1,763

125.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.70 TZS 4,458

-17.65%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.73 TZS 4,558

30.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.21 TZS 5,815

21.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$0.77 TZS 2,026

89.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.46 TZS 1,197

178.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.07 TZS 2,811

-0.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.79 TZS 2,075

-32.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$1.48 TZS 3,880

185.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$0.91 TZS 2,383

79.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$0.98 TZS 2,572

195.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.22 TZS 569

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$7.44 TZS 19.6K

-67.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.34 TZS 3,533

8.21%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$27.99 TZS 73.6K

127.40%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$8.27 TZS 21.7K

55.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$46.52 TZS 122.3K

-55.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$63.8 TZS 167.8K

-38.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$4.68 TZS 12.3K

40.60%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$7,551 TZS 19.9M

94.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$284 TZS 746.1K

72.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$234 TZS 615.8K

23.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$495 TZS 1.3M

80.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$526 TZS 1.4M

-1.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

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 Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Arusha: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $284 in Arusha. 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $27.00 in Arusha. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $64.0 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: $932 in Chiang Mai, $548 in Arusha – roughly 70% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $822 in Arusha. 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $27.00 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 $932 in Chiang Mai and $548 in Arusha. 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 $548, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Arusha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $548 in Arusha to $932 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.