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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $201 in Arusha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $358 in Arusha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $514 in Arusha, rent included.

Phuket costs about 529% 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

$4.70 ฿153

$3.40 TZS 8,767

38.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$27.94 TZS 72.1K

62.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$9.09 TZS 23.4K

-7.26%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.70 TZS 4,382

72.35%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.43 TZS 1,113

60.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.31 TZS 799

19.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.08 TZS 2,790

123.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.98 TZS 7,677

24.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$0.63 TZS 1,634

253.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.60 TZS 1,554

205.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$0.91 TZS 2,336

138.46%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.70 TZS 4,384

30.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.79 TZS 2,027

163.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.41 TZS 1,048

273.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.00 TZS 2,571

48.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.47 TZS 1,212

8.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.19 TZS 497

621.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.94 TZS 4,992

-48.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$7.50 TZS 19.3K

88.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.23 TZS 3,184

10.57%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿3,975

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

$13.57 ฿443

$9.42 TZS 24.3K

44.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$50.3 TZS 129.7K

-63.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$3.97 TZS 10.2K

118.89%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$10.4K TZS 26.9M

50.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$294 TZS 759.3K

611.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Arusha: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $28.00 in Arusha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 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

Phuket vs Arusha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,265 in Phuket, $201 in Arusha – roughly 529% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket 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 $45.00 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 $1,265 in Phuket 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 Phuket at $1,265. 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 $201 in Arusha to $1,265 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.