Cost of Living Comparison Between Malappuram and Arusha Cost of Living Comparison Between Malappuram and Arusha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $319 per month in Malappuram vs $201 in Arusha, rent included.

A couple spends around $492 per month in Malappuram vs $358 in Arusha, rent included.

A family of three spends $665 per month in Malappuram vs $514 in Arusha, rent included.

Malappuram costs about 59% more than Arusha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Malappuram and Arusha are more affordable than the global median – Malappuram 76% lower, Arusha 85% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 ₹170

$3.40 TZS 8,767

-47.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.26 ₹787

$27.94 TZS 72.1K

-70.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.69 ₹351

$9.09 TZS 23.4K

-59.41%

Cappuccino

$1.53 ₹146

$1.70 TZS 4,382

-10.00%

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

$0.37 ₹35.40

$0.43 TZS 1,113

-13.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.11 ₹10.48

$0.31 TZS 799

-64.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 ₹137

$1.08 TZS 2,790

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ₹253

$2.98 TZS 7,677

-11.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.57 ₹54.6

$0.63 TZS 1,634

-9.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 ₹47.98

$0.60 TZS 1,554

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.46 ₹43.54

$0.91 TZS 2,336

-49.45%

Eggs

$0.82 ₹78.3

$1.70 TZS 4,384

-51.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.23 ₹403

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.88 ₹274

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 ₹176

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.0

Oranges (1kg)

$0.85 ₹81.1

Tomato (1kg)

$0.32 ₹30.13

$0.79 TZS 2,027

-59.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.43 ₹41.42

$0.41 TZS 1,048

4.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 ₹33.82

$1.00 TZS 2,571

-64.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 ₹91.3

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.52

$0.47 TZS 1,212

-34.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.50 ₹238

Wine (Bottle)

$1.72 ₹164

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 ₹152

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 ₹403

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

$3.72 ₹355

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 ₹13.89

$0.19 TZS 497

-21.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.56 ₹435

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 ₹46.36

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.18

$1.94 TZS 4,992

-82.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 ₹57.2

$7.50 TZS 19.3K

-92.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₹117

$1.23 TZS 3,184

-0.81%

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

$11.6K ₹1.1M

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

$18.0K ₹1.7M

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

$32.60 ₹3,105

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

$2.96 ₹282

$9.42 TZS 24.3K

-68.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.15 ₹681

$50.3 TZS 129.7K

-85.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$7.06 ₹673

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.52 ₹430

Cinema Ticket

$1.99 ₹190

$3.97 TZS 10.2K

-49.87%

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

$32.45 ₹3,091

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$932 ₹88.8K

$10.4K TZS 26.9M

-91.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.02 ₹1,431

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.29 ₹2,028

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$25.87 ₹2,464

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.08 ₹1,436

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$116 ₹11.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$69.6 ₹6,631

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 ₹18.8K

$294 TZS 759.3K

-32.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 ₹13.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,388 ₹608.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$368 ₹35.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$213 ₹20.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.69

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

Last update for Malappuram: May 31, 2026

Last update for Arusha: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $8.00 in Malappuram versus $28.00 in Arusha. Groceries tell a different story – $90.0 in Malappuram vs $36.00 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

Malappuram vs Arusha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $319 in Malappuram, $201 in Arusha – roughly 59% apart. Malappuram costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $479 per month in Malappuram 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 $8.00 in Malappuram 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 $319 in Malappuram and $201 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 $319 in Malappuram and $201 in Arusha, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Arusha – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Malappuram makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.