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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $200 in Arusha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $357 in Arusha, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $514 in Arusha, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 330% more than Arusha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Arusha are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Arusha 85% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$3.38 TZS 8,877

-42.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$28.02 TZS 73.5K

-34.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$9.16 TZS 24.0K

-18.34%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.74 TZS 4,574

16.09%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.43 TZS 1,127

97.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.33 TZS 878

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.08 TZS 2,832

98.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.83 TZS 7,424

26.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.64 TZS 1,691

157.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.57 TZS 1,492

175.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$0.89 TZS 2,325

33.71%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.72 TZS 4,500

12.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.75 TZS 1,967

113.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.41 TZS 1,066

236.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.98 TZS 2,572

22.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.46 TZS 1,217

21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.19 TZS 506

363.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$1.93 TZS 5,061

-30.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$7.81 TZS 20.5K

5.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.19 TZS 3,125

2.52%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

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

$14.04 ฿472

$9.46 TZS 24.8K

48.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$50.7 TZS 133.1K

-65.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.76 TZS 9,879

57.45%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$10.2K TZS 26.9M

45.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$289 TZS 757.2K

184.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Arusha: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $28.00 in Arusha. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $35.00 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: $861 in Chiang Mai, $200 in Arusha – roughly 330% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $300 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 $18.00 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $200 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $200 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 $200 in Arusha to $861 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.