Cost of Living Comparison Between Zanzibar and Arusha Cost of Living Comparison Between Zanzibar and Arusha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $590 per month in Zanzibar vs $548 in Arusha, rent included.

A couple spends around $870 per month in Zanzibar vs $883 in Arusha, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,151 per month in Zanzibar vs $1,218 in Arusha, rent included.

Zanzibar costs about 8% more than Arusha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Zanzibar and Arusha are more affordable than the global median – Zanzibar 57% lower, Arusha 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 TZS 12.4K

$3.42 TZS 8,986

37.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.55 TZS 56.6K

$27.47 TZS 72.2K

-21.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.68 TZS 14.9K

$9.44 TZS 24.8K

-39.83%

Cappuccino

$2.11 TZS 5,553

$1.77 TZS 4,642

19.21%

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

$0.58 TZS 1,520

$0.96 TZS 2,513

-39.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 TZS 777

$0.33 TZS 875

-9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 TZS 5,070

$1.03 TZS 2,700

87.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 TZS 7,168

$2.86 TZS 7,510

-4.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 TZS 5,517

$0.97 TZS 2,548

116.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 TZS 2,021

$0.67 TZS 1,763

14.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 TZS 2,102

$1.70 TZS 4,458

-52.94%

Eggs

$2.69 TZS 7,063

$1.73 TZS 4,558

55.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 TZS 20.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.20 TZS 5,793

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.00 TZS 15.8K

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 TZS 7,587

$2.21 TZS 5,815

30.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 TZS 3,045

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 TZS 1,930

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 TZS 1,433

$0.77 TZS 2,026

-28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 TZS 2,522

$0.46 TZS 1,197

108.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 TZS 3,929

$1.07 TZS 2,811

39.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 TZS 1,947

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 TZS 1,191

$0.79 TZS 2,075

-43.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.09 TZS 5,483

$1.48 TZS 3,880

41.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.32 TZS 24.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 TZS 3,862

$0.91 TZS 2,383

61.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 TZS 3,548

$0.98 TZS 2,572

37.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 TZS 818

$0.22 TZS 569

40.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 TZS 9,701

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 TZS 1,909

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 TZS 7,010

$7.44 TZS 19.6K

-64.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 TZS 2,994

$1.34 TZS 3,533

-14.93%

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

$50.2K TZS 132.0M

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

$73.2 TZS 192.4K

$27.99 TZS 73.6K

161.45%

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

$11.39 TZS 29.9K

$8.27 TZS 21.7K

37.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.19 TZS 126.7K

$46.52 TZS 122.3K

3.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.71 TZS 75.5K

$63.8 TZS 167.8K

-55.01%

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 TZS 24.2K

$4.68 TZS 12.3K

97.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,551 TZS 19.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.96 TZS 34.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.70 TZS 43.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$14.94 TZS 39.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$13.38 TZS 35.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$148 TZS 387.9K

$284 TZS 746.1K

-48.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 TZS 265.8K

$234 TZS 615.8K

-56.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 TZS 532.2K

$495 TZS 1.3M

-59.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 TZS 400.0K

$526 TZS 1.4M

-71.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$37.2K TZS 97.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.3K TZS 29.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$310 TZS 814.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Zanzibar: September 15, 2026

Last update for Arusha: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $148 in Zanzibar versus $284 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 $22.00 in Zanzibar versus $27.00 in Arusha. Groceries tell a different story – $165 in Zanzibar vs $64.0 in Arusha – so Arusha wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Zanzibar vs Arusha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $590 in Zanzibar, $548 in Arusha – roughly 8% apart. Zanzibar costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $885 per month in Zanzibar and $822 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 $22.00 in Zanzibar and $27.00 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 $590 in Zanzibar and $548 in Arusha. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $590 in Zanzibar and $548 in Arusha, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Arusha – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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