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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,253 per month in Phuket vs $562 in Arusha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,043 per month in Phuket vs $905 in Arusha, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,833 per month in Phuket vs $1,248 in Arusha, rent included.

Phuket costs about 123% more than Arusha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Arusha are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 9% lower, Arusha 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿151

$3.46 TZS 9,091

31.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,082

$28.10 TZS 73.9K

16.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿295

$9.12 TZS 24.0K

-2.41%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿93.0

$1.78 TZS 4,680

57.30%

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

$0.88 ฿29.19

$0.90 TZS 2,377

-2.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.23

$0.30 TZS 800

63.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿79.2

$1.04 TZS 2,734

129.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿123

$2.79 TZS 7,348

32.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿59.3

$0.97 TZS 2,552

84.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.81

$0.65 TZS 1,706

121.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.6

$1.65 TZS 4,347

-4.24%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿70.5

$1.67 TZS 4,387

27.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿661

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿114

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿376

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.8

$2.22 TZS 5,832

32.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.1

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿77.1

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿69.0

$0.72 TZS 1,900

188.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.77

$0.49 TZS 1,276

200.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿45.05

$1.07 TZS 2,810

27.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.45

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿19.06

$0.85 TZS 2,242

-32.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿142

$1.55 TZS 4,077

175.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿611

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$0.93 TZS 2,442

101.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.9

$1.00 TZS 2,619

192.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.6

$0.18 TZS 481

1133.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.63

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿130

$7.63 TZS 20.1K

-48.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.49

$1.29 TZS 3,387

15.50%

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

$27.1K ฿899.8K

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

$27.5K ฿910.6K

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

$103 ฿3,410

$28.92 TZS 76.0K

255.46%

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

$10.99 ฿365

$8.68 TZS 22.8K

26.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿581

$48.20 TZS 126.7K

-63.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,776

$64.7 TZS 170.1K

-17.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿371

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿248

$4.67 TZS 12.3K

60.17%

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

$557 ฿18.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿393.2K

$7,465 TZS 19.6M

58.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,125

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿964

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,183

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,997

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.2K

$288 TZS 757.7K

153.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.6K

$232 TZS 609.7K

115.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿69.3K

$489 TZS 1.3M

327.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿40.1K

$515 TZS 1.4M

134.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿119.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿83.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Arusha: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $730 in Phuket versus $288 in Arusha. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Phuket versus $28.00 in Arusha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $65.0 – 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: $1,253 in Phuket, $562 in Arusha – roughly 123% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,880 per month in Phuket and $842 in Arusha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arusha, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 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 $1,253 in Phuket and $562 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 $562, than in Phuket at $1,253. 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 $562 in Arusha to $1,253 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.