Cost of Living Comparison Between Kottayam and Arusha Cost of Living Comparison Between Kottayam and Arusha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $272 per month in Kottayam vs $543 in Arusha, rent included.

A couple spends around $438 per month in Kottayam vs $886 in Arusha, rent included.

A family of three spends $604 per month in Kottayam vs $1,229 in Arusha, rent included.

Kottayam is about 50% cheaper than Arusha, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Kottayam and Arusha are more affordable than the global median – Kottayam 80% lower, Arusha 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.04 ₹99.3

$3.43 TZS 9,005

-69.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.42 ₹995

$28.05 TZS 73.7K

-62.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.27 ₹408

$9.20 TZS 24.2K

-53.59%

Cappuccino

$0.76 ₹73.1

$1.75 TZS 4,606

-56.57%

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

$0.33 ₹31.79

$0.94 TZS 2,473

-64.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹16.46

$0.33 TZS 875

-48.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.25 ₹120

$1.07 TZS 2,821

16.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ₹259

$2.89 TZS 7,588

-6.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.54 ₹51.3

$0.93 TZS 2,451

-41.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.38 ₹36.77

$0.64 TZS 1,675

-40.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.65 ₹61.8

$1.72 TZS 4,534

-62.21%

Eggs

$0.80 ₹76.6

$1.75 TZS 4,592

-54.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.17 ₹208

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.00 ₹287

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 ₹230

$2.31 TZS 6,077

4.33%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 ₹57.7

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 ₹114

Tomato (1kg)

$0.38 ₹36.29

$0.80 TZS 2,090

-52.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.39

$0.46 TZS 1,207

-13.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 ₹44.11

$1.02 TZS 2,677

-54.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 ₹36.44

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.87

$0.78 TZS 2,051

-60.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.98 ₹476

$1.53 TZS 4,023

225.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.88 ₹371

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₹151

$0.93 TZS 2,450

69.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 ₹298

$0.93 TZS 2,447

234.41%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$4.22 ₹403

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ₹30.05

$0.18 TZS 479

72.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.05 ₹865

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 ₹98.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ₹24.81

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 ₹153

$7.73 TZS 20.3K

-79.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₹107

$1.34 TZS 3,515

-17.16%

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

$9,407 ₹898.8K

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

$14.6K ₹1.4M

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

$21.31 ₹2,036

$28.66 TZS 75.4K

-25.65%

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

$3.45 ₹330

$8.35 TZS 22.0K

-58.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.79 ₹649

$47.03 TZS 123.6K

-85.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$6.21 ₹594

$63.7 TZS 167.5K

-90.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.99 ₹858

Cinema Ticket

$1.67 ₹160

$4.70 TZS 12.3K

-64.47%

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

$10.76 ₹1,028

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,365 ₹130.5K

$7,607 TZS 20.0M

-82.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.29 ₹1,747

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.18 ₹1,545

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$21.19 ₹2,025

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$12.01 ₹1,148

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$127 ₹12.1K

$283 TZS 743.8K

-55.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.8 ₹5,047

$238 TZS 625.4K

-77.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 ₹25.4K

$497 TZS 1.3M

-46.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 ₹11.0K

$527 TZS 1.4M

-78.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$944 ₹90.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$552 ₹52.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$288 ₹27.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Kottayam: September 8, 2026

Last update for Arusha: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $127 in Kottayam versus $283 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 $10.00 in Kottayam versus $28.00 in Arusha. Groceries tell a different story – $88.0 in Kottayam 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

Kottayam vs Arusha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $272 in Kottayam, $543 in Arusha – roughly 99% apart. Arusha costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $409 per month in Kottayam and $814 in Arusha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kottayam, 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 $10.00 in Kottayam 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 $272 in Kottayam and $543 in Arusha. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $272 in Kottayam and $543 in Arusha, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Kottayam – 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 Kottayam. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arusha makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.