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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,291 per month in Lisbon vs $200 in Arusha, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,322 per month in Lisbon vs $357 in Arusha, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,354 per month in Lisbon vs $514 in Arusha, rent included.

Lisbon costs about 1045% more than Arusha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Lisbon sits 71% above the global median, while Arusha is 85% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$3.38 TZS 8,877

378.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$28.02 TZS 73.5K

126.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$9.16 TZS 24.0K

12.66%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.74 TZS 4,574

62.64%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$0.43 TZS 1,127

432.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.33 TZS 878

378.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.08 TZS 2,832

214.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$2.83 TZS 7,424

42.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$0.64 TZS 1,691

70.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.57 TZS 1,492

207.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.89 TZS 2,325

97.75%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.72 TZS 4,500

84.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$0.75 TZS 1,967

224.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.41 TZS 1,066

329.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.98 TZS 2,572

107.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.46 TZS 1,217

84.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.19 TZS 506

1100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$1.93 TZS 5,061

-58.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$7.81 TZS 20.5K

136.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.19 TZS 3,125

74.79%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

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

$39.2K €34.3K

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

$148 €130

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

$20.46 €17.90

$9.46 TZS 24.8K

116.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$50.7 TZS 133.1K

-22.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$3.76 TZS 9,879

145.21%

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

$616 €539

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$10.2K TZS 26.9M

60.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$289 TZS 757.2K

973.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Arusha: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Lisbon versus $28.00 in Arusha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $35.00 – 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: $2,291 in Lisbon, $200 in Arusha – roughly 1045% apart. Lisbon costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,437 per month in Lisbon 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 $63.0 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 $2,291 in Lisbon and $200 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 $200, than in Lisbon at $2,291. 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 $200 in Arusha to $2,291 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.