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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,210 per month in Lisbon vs $201 in Arusha, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,311 per month in Lisbon vs $358 in Arusha, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Lisbon vs $514 in Arusha, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 998% more than Arusha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Lisbon sits 65% above the global median, while Arusha is 85% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 €13.69

$3.40 TZS 8,767

367.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 €55.7

$27.94 TZS 72.1K

131.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.04

$9.09 TZS 23.4K

15.62%

Cappuccino

$2.87 €2.47

$1.70 TZS 4,382

68.82%

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

$2.24 €1.93

$0.43 TZS 1,113

420.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.31 TZS 799

383.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 €3.00

$1.08 TZS 2,790

223.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 €3.34

$2.98 TZS 7,677

30.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.63 TZS 1,634

80.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.51

$0.60 TZS 1,554

191.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$0.91 TZS 2,336

93.41%

Eggs

$3.22 €2.77

$1.70 TZS 4,384

89.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 €11.61

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 €6.81

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 €13.65

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.46

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$0.79 TZS 2,027

211.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.41 TZS 1,048

348.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$1.00 TZS 2,571

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.66

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$0.47 TZS 1,212

68.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 €5.68

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 €4.92

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.56

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.19 TZS 497

1147.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 €39.19

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.69

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 €0.70

$1.94 TZS 4,992

-57.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.30 €15.74

$7.50 TZS 19.3K

144.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.23 TZS 3,184

67.48%

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

$34.3K €29.5K

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

$39.3K €33.8K

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

$148 €127

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

$20.52 €17.65

$9.42 TZS 24.3K

117.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.61 €34.08

$50.3 TZS 129.7K

-21.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.85 €41.16

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 €16.28

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 €7.90

$3.97 TZS 10.2K

131.23%

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

$614 €528

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €13.8K

$10.4K TZS 26.9M

53.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 €36.18

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 €80.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,628 €1,400

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 €1,080

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 €2,607

$294 TZS 759.3K

929.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 €1,738

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,800 €6,709

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,273 €3,675

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,603 €1,379

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 1, 2026

Last update for Arusha: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Lisbon versus $28.00 in Arusha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $36.00 – 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: $2,210 in Lisbon, $201 in Arusha – roughly 998% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,315 per month in Lisbon 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 $65.0 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 $2,210 in Lisbon and $201 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 $201, than in Lisbon at $2,210. 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 $201 in Arusha to $2,210 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.