Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mbeya Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mbeya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,253 per month in Phuket vs $431 in Mbeya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,043 per month in Phuket vs $664 in Mbeya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,833 per month in Phuket vs $898 in Mbeya, rent included.

Phuket costs about 191% more than Mbeya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Mbeya are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 9% lower, Mbeya 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,073

$22.79 TZS 59.9K

43.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$7.51 TZS 19.7K

18.51%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$1.47 TZS 3,863

90.48%

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

$0.88 ฿28.94

$0.36 TZS 956

144.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.40 TZS 1,045

22.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$0.73 TZS 1,918

227.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.8

$0.55 TZS 1,437

225.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.40

$0.91 TZS 2,386

58.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$0.92 TZS 2,420

71.74%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.28 TZS 5,995

-6.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$3.74 TZS 9,830

432.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$3.78 TZS 9,951

-9.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$3.44 TZS 9,038

229.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.0

$1.15 TZS 3,026

156.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$0.78 TZS 2,038

120.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.5

$0.96 TZS 2,526

141.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$0.72 TZS 1,892

188.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

$0.92 TZS 2,415

59.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.65

$0.77 TZS 2,035

76.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

$0.55 TZS 1,451

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.77 TZS 2,035

-25.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$1.10 TZS 2,890

288.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

$3.84 TZS 10.1K

379.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$0.74 TZS 1,943

152.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

$1.11 TZS 2,917

163.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

$0.39 TZS 1,036

469.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$1.11 TZS 2,916

172.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

$1.87 TZS 4,908

-42.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$2.67 TZS 7,031

47.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.06

$1.19 TZS 3,133

25.21%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

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

$103 ฿3,380

$23.73 TZS 62.4K

333.21%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$18.80 TZS 49.4K

-41.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$44.63 TZS 117.3K

-60.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$37.61 TZS 98.9K

42.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$9.46 TZS 24.9K

-20.93%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$185 TZS 486.7K

200.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

$1,135 TZS 3.0M

944.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

$11.37 TZS 29.9K

463.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$9.52 TZS 25.0K

205.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,155

$19.10 TZS 50.2K

402.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$26.66 TZS 70.1K

238.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$112 TZS 293.7K

553.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$75.9 TZS 199.5K

558.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$188 TZS 493.6K

1013.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

$112 TZS 294.3K

980.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

$192 TZS 504.5K

162.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-57.15%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Mbeya: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $730 in Phuket versus $112 in Mbeya. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 162% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Phuket versus $23.00 in Mbeya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $115 – making Mbeya 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 Mbeya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 191%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,880 per month in Phuket and $646 in Mbeya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,253 in Phuket and $431 in Mbeya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $557 per month in Phuket and $185 in Mbeya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mbeya, where all-in costs run around $431, than in Phuket at $1,253. In Mbeya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mbeya – 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 Mbeya. 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.