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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $201 in Arusha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $358 in Arusha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $514 in Arusha, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 544% more than Arusha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Arusha are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Arusha 85% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.40 TZS 8,767

245.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$27.94 TZS 72.1K

48.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$9.09 TZS 23.4K

17.05%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.70 TZS 4,382

107.06%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.43 TZS 1,113

251.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.31 TZS 799

212.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.08 TZS 2,790

173.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.98 TZS 7,677

49.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.63 TZS 1,634

119.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.60 TZS 1,554

215.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$0.91 TZS 2,336

80.22%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.70 TZS 4,384

47.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.79 TZS 2,027

163.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.41 TZS 1,048

334.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.00 TZS 2,571

119.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.47 TZS 1,212

129.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.19 TZS 497

168.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.94 TZS 4,992

28.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$7.50 TZS 19.3K

-56.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.23 TZS 3,184

6.50%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

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

$22.22 MX$384

$9.42 TZS 24.3K

135.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$50.3 TZS 129.7K

-41.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$3.97 TZS 10.2K

27.71%

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

$201 MX$3,473

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$10.4K TZS 26.9M

-50.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$294 TZS 759.3K

457.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Arusha: June 2, 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 $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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $201 in Arusha – roughly 544% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen 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 $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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen 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 Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $201 in Arusha to $1,297 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.