Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Arusha Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Arusha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,268 per month in Lisbon vs $543 in Arusha, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,348 per month in Lisbon vs $886 in Arusha, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,429 per month in Lisbon vs $1,229 in Arusha, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 318% more than Arusha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Lisbon sits 64% above the global median, while Arusha is 61% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 €15.12

$3.43 TZS 9,005

411.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 €55.6

$28.05 TZS 73.7K

129.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 €10.04

$9.20 TZS 24.2K

26.63%

Cappuccino

$3.26 €2.81

$1.75 TZS 4,606

86.29%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$0.94 TZS 2,473

164.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$0.33 TZS 875

406.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 €2.99

$1.07 TZS 2,821

224.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.08

$2.89 TZS 7,588

23.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$0.93 TZS 2,451

26.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 €1.68

$0.64 TZS 1,675

204.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.72 TZS 4,534

-9.30%

Eggs

$4.01 €3.46

$1.75 TZS 4,592

129.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 €11.44

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 €7.26

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.23 €15.72

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.31 TZS 6,077

0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.49

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 €1.67

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 €2.27

$0.80 TZS 2,090

230.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$0.46 TZS 1,207

313.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 €1.82

$1.02 TZS 2,677

106.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.69

$0.78 TZS 2,051

2.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.01 €6.04

$1.53 TZS 4,023

358.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 €5.11

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.18

$0.93 TZS 2,450

46.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 €1.85

$0.93 TZS 2,447

131.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$0.18 TZS 479

1222.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.22 €39.85

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 €3.61

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.26 €14.88

$7.73 TZS 20.3K

123.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.34 TZS 3,515

67.91%

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

$34.5K €29.7K

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

$41.6K €35.9K

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

$171 €147

$28.66 TZS 75.4K

496.23%

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

$19.01 €16.38

$8.35 TZS 22.0K

127.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 €29.55

$47.03 TZS 123.6K

-27.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.65 €42.80

$63.7 TZS 167.5K

-22.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.51 €16.81

Cinema Ticket

$10.10 €8.71

$4.70 TZS 12.3K

114.89%

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

$699 €603

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K €15.3K

$7,607 TZS 20.0M

133.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.97 €41.35

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 €111

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,432

$283 TZS 743.8K

487.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 €1,059

$238 TZS 625.4K

416.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,915 €2,513

$497 TZS 1.3M

486.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 €1,744

$527 TZS 1.4M

283.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,129 €7,007

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,635 €3,996

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,619 €1,396

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.78

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

Last update for Lisbon: September 5, 2026

Last update for Arusha: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,661 in Lisbon 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 $64.0 in Lisbon versus $28.00 in Arusha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $64.0 – making Arusha the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Lisbon vs Arusha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,268 in Lisbon, $543 in Arusha – roughly 318% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,402 per month in Lisbon 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 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 $64.0 in Lisbon 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 $2,268 in Lisbon and $543 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 $543, than in Lisbon at $2,268. In Arusha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lisbon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lisbon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $543 in Arusha to $2,268 in Lisbon. 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, Lisbon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.