Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Arusha Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Arusha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $200 in Arusha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $357 in Arusha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $514 in Arusha, rent included.

Phuket costs about 525% more than Arusha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Arusha are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Arusha 85% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$3.38 TZS 8,877

34.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$28.02 TZS 73.5K

64.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$9.16 TZS 24.0K

-3.49%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.74 TZS 4,574

75.86%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$0.43 TZS 1,127

69.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$0.33 TZS 878

21.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.08 TZS 2,832

125.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.83 TZS 7,424

33.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$0.64 TZS 1,691

253.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.57 TZS 1,492

217.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$0.89 TZS 2,325

152.81%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$1.72 TZS 4,500

30.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$0.75 TZS 1,967

170.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.41 TZS 1,066

273.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.98 TZS 2,572

53.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.46 TZS 1,217

13.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.19 TZS 506

642.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$1.93 TZS 5,061

-46.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$7.81 TZS 20.5K

80.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$1.19 TZS 3,125

10.08%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿4,120

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

$13.59 ฿457

$9.46 TZS 24.8K

43.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$50.7 TZS 133.1K

-63.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$3.76 TZS 9,879

141.22%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$10.2K TZS 26.9M

54.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$289 TZS 757.2K

606.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Arusha: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $28.00 in Arusha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 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

Phuket vs Arusha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,250 in Phuket, $200 in Arusha – roughly 525% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket 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 $46.00 in Phuket 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 $1,250 in Phuket 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 Phuket at $1,250. In Arusha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $200 in Arusha to $1,250 in Phuket. 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, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.