Which place is cheaper, Bangkok or Arusha?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Arusha or Bangkok?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Arusha and Bangkok can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Arusha or Bangkok?
Arusha
Arusha is a city in East Africa's Tanzania, located at the base of volcanic Mt. Meru. It’s a gateway to safari destinations and to Africa’s highest peak, Mt. Kilimanjaro, lying some 100 kilometers northeast. To the west lies Serengeti National Park, home to wildlife including lions, rhinoceros, giraffes and leopards. Annual migrations feature huge herds of wildebeests crossing its plains. Arusha is Tanzania’s gateway to the northern circuit of stellar national parks and the starting point of many a memorable safari. It’s also a large, sprawling city which offers a nice break from the rigors of life on the African road – it has excellent places to stay and eat and, for the most part, it’s lush and green and enjoys a temperate climate throughout the year. Arusha is a great destination, and you're sure to enjoy your time here, no matter what your interests are.
Bangkok
Bangkok: a name synonymous with all things exotic. The vibrant and exciting capital of Thailand is not just a hub for Southeast Asia, but also a destination into itself. Known for an active nightlife and party scene, as well as great food, historic temples, and busy markets, Bangkok offers a diversity to entertain even the most experienced travelers.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Tanzania, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Tanzania, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Thailand, and The Best Wildlife Tours to Thailand.
-
Arusha Prices
Tanzania PricesBangkok Prices
Thailand Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayArusha $201Bangkok $105
The average daily cost (per person) in Arusha is $201, while the average daily cost in Bangkok is $105. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Arusha and Bangkok in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personArusha $134Bangkok $50
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomArusha $268Bangkok $100
Compare Hotels in Arusha and Bangkok
Looking for a hotel in Arusha or Bangkok? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Arusha Hotel Prices and Bangkok Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Arusha $14Bangkok $6.57
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arusha
Also for Arusha, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arusha Airport & Hotel Transfers: $40
- Kilimanjaro Airport Pick Up & Drop Off | Private Transfer Service: $77
- Kilimanjaro Airport Transfer to Moshi: $65
- Kilimanjaro Airport and Arusha Private Transfer: $59
- Kilimanjaro Airport to Arusha City Private Transfer: $120
- Kilimanjaro International Airport to Arusha City Center Transfer: $60
- Private Transfer from Arusha to Kilimanjaro Airport (KIA): $161
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Bangkok
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Bangkok are as follows:
-
Tuk Tuk to bus station$2.51
-
Skytrain Ticket$5.02
-
Chao Phraya River Express Ticket$1.00
-
Ferry Ride$0.82
-
Taxi From Airport$7.85
-
Short Taxi Ride$2.83
-
Boat Taxi$1.57
-
Trains to airport$5.02
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bangkok
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bangkok:
- Tuk-tuk tour Bangkok by Night with Chinatown meal and hotel transfers: $64
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in Pattaya APT-HTL (DMK): $20
- Transfer from Don Mueang Airport (DMK) to Rayong Province: $100
- Transfer from Don Mueang Airport (DMK) to Pattaya: $69
- Transfer from Don Mueang Airport (DMK) to HuaHin: $86
- Transfer from DMK Donmuaeng International Airport to BKK Suvarnabhumi Airport: $34
- Transfer from BKK Suvarnabhumi International Airport to khao Yai National Park: $86
- Transfer from BKK Suvarnabhumi International Airport to DMK Donmuang Airport: $34
- Transfer from BKK Airport to Bangkok City: $30
- Suvarnabhumi Airport BKK to Kanchanaburi Private Arrival Transfer: $101
- Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Private Transfer to Bangkok Centre: $23
- Sedan Arrival Transfer Bangkok Airport BKK to Bangkok or Pattaya: $15
Is it cheaper to fly into Arusha or Bangkok?
Prices for flights to both Bangkok and Arusha change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
-
Food Meals for one dayArusha $43Bangkok $36
Typical Food Prices in Arusha
For Arusha, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
-
A Quick Lunch (for 2)$2.23
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Arusha
For Arusha, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Traditional Tanzania Cooking Class & Food Market Tour: $43
- NGO Lifted Strong - Traditional Tanzanian Cooking Class: $50
Typical Food Prices in Bangkok
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Bangkok:
-
Dinner at Hard Rock Cafe (for Two)$28
-
Casual Lunch of Prawns (for Two)$6.28
-
2 Rotis (Bread)$1.41
-
Mango & Sticky Rice$0.94
-
Lunch at KFC (for Two)$6.28
-
Pad Thai$2.20
-
Airport Lunch for 2$17
-
Lunch for 2$23
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bangkok
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bangkok.
- Baiyoke Sky Hotel Observation Deck Ticket with Lunch or Dinner : $22
- Meridian Dinner and Sunset Cruise in Bangkok: $23
- Royal Princess Dinner Cruise in Bangkok: $25
- Chao Phraya Princess Sunset and Dinner Cruise: $27
- Twilight Dinner Cruise Along Chao Phraya River in Bangkok: $29
- Calypso Cabaret Show with Thai Set Dinner: $29
- Baiyoke Sky Dinner Experience with Observation Deck Access: $29
- Baiyoke Sky Observation Deck With Buffet Dinner or Lunch: $29
- Bangkok Amazing Chaophraya River Dinner Cruise with Live Music: $32
- Nopparat’s Traditional Thai Dinner & Dance: $32
- Chao Phraya River Serenade: VIVA Alangka Dinner Cruise, Bangkok: $32
- Riverside Bangkok Dinner Cruise with Buffet and City Views: $32
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Arusha $47Bangkok $18
Tours and Activities in Arusha
For Arusha, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Arusha Guided Walking City Tour: Culture, History & Local Markets: $20
- Discover Arusha's Soul: A Guided Walking City Tour. Learn & Live.: $25
- Street Food and Community Walking Tour: $30
- Arusha Waterfalls,Coffee farm Tour & Swing(all inclusive): $30
- Microfinance family farm tour - all proceeds to charity: $35
- Hidden Arusha Village, Waterfall & Coffee Tour (All-Inclusive): $40
- Mountain Bike Tour of the Foothills of Mount Meru: $40
- Lake Duluti Luxury Canoe Tour: $50
- Private Walking Tour with Giraffes: $55
- Arusha city tour and Pickup: $55
- Coffee tour and Buffet Lunch with Kingstone Asilia (Arusha): $55
- Materuni Waterfall, Chemka Hot Spring and Traditional Coffee Tour: $60
Typical Entertainment Prices in Bangkok
Here are a few typical costs in Bangkok for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
-
Movie Ticket$5.02
-
Grand Palace Entrance Ticket$11
-
Wat Pho (Reclining Buddha) Ticket$1.57
-
Dusit Zoo Entrance Fee (for Two)$6.28
-
Club Cover Charge$12
-
Thai Boxing Tickets (for Two)$75
-
Fish Pedicure$4.71
-
Wat Pho entrance ticket$3.14
-
Siriraj Museum (2)$13
Tours and Activities in Bangkok
Here are a few actual costs in Bangkok for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- A Day in Ayutthaya: Private 5 UNESCO Temples Tour From Bangkok: $126
- Ayutthaya Historic Park Tour Group Tour from Bangkok: $55
- Bangkok Hindu Landmark Tour with Grand Palace, Temples & Lunch: $169
- Full-Day Erawan Waterfall and River Kwai Private Guided Tour: $150
- Private Customized Bangkok Tour With Driver : $58
- Private Half-Day Bangkok City Tour explore The Grand Palace: $144
- UNESCO Temple Group Tour to Ayutthaya From Bangkok: $60
- 1 Hour Axe Throwing Experience : $20
- 10 Hours Private Tour Ayuttaya: $132
- 2 Day Guided Tour from Bangkok to Ayutthaya : $96
- 2 Hour Electric Tuk Tuk Cultural Tour of Bangkok: $31
- 2 Hour Longtail Boat Bangkok Canal Tour: $79
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayArusha $11Bangkok $5.65
Typical Alcohol Prices in Bangkok
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Bangkok are as follows:
-
Beer$1.26
Sample the Local Flavors in Bangkok
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Bangkok:
- Bangkok Pub Crawl: $17
- The Original Bangkok Pub Crawl: $32
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Arusha and Bangkok, we can see that Arusha is more expensive. And not only is Bangkok much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Arusha is in Africa and Bangkok is in Asia, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Bangkok would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Bangkok and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Arusha would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Arusha than you might in Bangkok.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Arusha Expensive? and Is Bangkok Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Arusha or Bangkok?
Bangkok has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Arusha. When comparing the sizes of Arusha and Bangkok, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.