Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Arusha Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Arusha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $200 in Arusha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $357 in Arusha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $514 in Arusha, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 528% more than Arusha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$3.38 TZS 8,877

254.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$28.02 TZS 73.5K

49.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$9.16 TZS 24.0K

17.36%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$1.74 TZS 4,574

101.15%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.43 TZS 1,127

237.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.33 TZS 878

166.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$1.08 TZS 2,832

173.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.83 TZS 7,424

59.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$0.64 TZS 1,691

123.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.57 TZS 1,492

222.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$0.89 TZS 2,325

76.40%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.72 TZS 4,500

45.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.75 TZS 1,967

178.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.41 TZS 1,066

351.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.98 TZS 2,572

121.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.46 TZS 1,217

132.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.19 TZS 506

168.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.93 TZS 5,061

24.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$7.81 TZS 20.5K

-58.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$1.19 TZS 3,125

10.92%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

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

$22.95 MX$403

$9.46 TZS 24.8K

142.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$50.7 TZS 133.1K

-40.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$3.76 TZS 9,879

32.45%

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

$197 MX$3,463

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$10.2K TZS 26.9M

-47.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$289 TZS 757.2K

469.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Arusha: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $28.00 in Arusha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 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

Playa del Carmen vs Arusha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $200 in Arusha – roughly 528% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen 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 Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Arusha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $200 in Arusha to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Arusha. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.