Which place is cheaper, Rio de Janeiro or Arusha?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Arusha or Rio de Janeiro?
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 Rio de Janeiro 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 Rio de Janeiro?
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.
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro is the most popular travel destination in Brazil. It is the second largest city in Brazil and the sixth largest in the Americas. A portion of the city has been designated a World Heritage Site. It's also famous for Carnival, it's gorgeous beaches, and world-famous landmarks. Rio's appeal as a travel destination is apparent year round due to the great weather and plenty of fun activities. The city has a wonderful natural harbor that is surrounded by Sugar Loaf Mountain, Corcovado Peak, and the hills of Tijuca, creating an absolutely breathtaking and awe-inspiring setting.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Tanzania, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Tanzania, The Best Jungle Trekking Tours in Brazil, and The Best Luxury Tours to Brazil.
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Arusha Prices
Tanzania PricesRio de Janeiro Prices
Brazil Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayArusha $189Rio de Janeiro $118
The average daily cost (per person) in Arusha is $189, while the average daily cost in Rio de Janeiro is $118. 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 Rio de Janeiro in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personArusha $126Rio de Janeiro $65
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomArusha $252Rio de Janeiro $130
Compare Hotels in Arusha and Rio de Janeiro
Looking for a hotel in Arusha or Rio de Janeiro? 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 Rio de Janeiro Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Arusha $13Rio de Janeiro $7.83
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Arusha
Also for Arusha, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arusha Airport and Hotel Transfer: $35
- Kilimanjaro International Airport to Arusha City Center Transfer: $60
- Moshi - Arusha Transfer: $149
- Private Transfer from Arusha to Jomo Kenyatta Airport (NBO): $46
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Rio de Janeiro
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Rio de Janeiro:
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Taxi Ride$2.88
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rio de Janeiro
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rio de Janeiro:
- Visit to Madureira Park in Rio de Janeiro with Transfer: $66
- Two Brothers Trail- one of the best views of Rio (transfer is included): $57
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in Rio de Janeiro APT-HTL (SDU): $75
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer Rio de Janeiro HTL-APT (SDU): $75
- Transfer: Galeão Airport(GIG) to Rio de Janeiro City: $28
- Transfer service from / to Rio de Janeiro / Paraty: $248
- Transfer in Rio: $45
- Transfer from Santos Dumont Airport to Zona Sul Rio: $27
- Transfer from Rio’s Airports SDU or GIG to Hotels (Vice Versa): $123
- Transfer from Rio de Janeiro to Ilha Grande with SpeedBoat: $92
- Transfer from Rio de Janeiro Galeao International Airport: $31
- Transfer from Rio de Janeiro Airports to Hotels and Destinations: $51
Is it cheaper to fly into Arusha or Rio de Janeiro?
Prices for flights to both Rio de Janeiro 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
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Food Meals for one dayArusha $40Rio de Janeiro $34
Typical Food Prices in Arusha
For Arusha, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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A Quick Lunch (for 2)$2.09
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
- Local Tanzanian Food Cooking Class by Kingstone Asilia (Arusha): $75
- Homestay + Cooking + Animal Care + Fruit Harvesting + Much More: $187
Typical Food Prices in Rio de Janeiro
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Rio de Janeiro:
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Popcorn$0.58
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Corn on the Cob$0.77
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Hamburger$0.96
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rio de Janeiro
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Rio de Janeiro.
- Rio de Janeiro Market Food Tour and Local Tasting Experience: $69
- Guided Dinner in Rio at a Restaurant of Your Choice: $70
- Rio de Janeiro Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $79
- Rio: Copacabana Food Tour with 7 Tastings and Local Flavors: $81
- Roxy Dinner Show: That Embrace Show: $81
- Hands-On Cooking Class in Rio: Iconic Street Foods & Caipirinhas: $85
- Rio Roots Food Tour with 12+ Tastings: $89
- Food Tour Rio de Janeiro - The Best Typical Brazilian Dishes: $92
- Cooking Class in Rio with 9 Recipes & Unlimited Caipirinhas: $95
- Roxy Show - Brazilian Rhythms with optional Barbecue Dinner: $105
- Ginga Tropical Folklore Show with Optional Dinner and Transfers: $107
- Brazilian Dinner Show: Cultural Experience in Rio de Janeiro: $115
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Arusha $44Rio de Janeiro $21
Tours and Activities in Arusha
For Arusha, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Best Arusha City Tour: $15
- Arusha City Walking Tour: Markets, Culture & Hotel Pickup: $15
- Personalized Arusha City Tour Culture History and Market: $20
- Coffee Tourism & Banana Farms Experience: $20
- Arusha Guided City Tour &Hotel Pickup (History, Culture &Market: $21
- Arusha Mountain Village and Coffee Tour: $24
- Arusha City Tour with Local Culture and Food Markets: $25
- Arusha Town Tour: $30
- Private Meru Coffee Tour in Nkoaranga: $35
- Microfinance family farm tour - all proceeds to charity: $35
- Arusha City Culture and Historical Walking Tour: $40
- Tanzanite Shopping Experience in Arusha: $45
Tours and Activities in Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few actual costs in Rio de Janeiro for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1 Day Discovery Tour NO Rio DE Janeiro: $69
- 1 day tour Rio de Janeiro to Christ and Cable car and much more: $123
- 2 Day Tour from Rio de Janeiro, Corcovado and Arraial do Cabo: $206
- 2 Days Tour in City Tour Express and Arraial do Cabo: $194
- 3 Hour Rocinha Favela Walking Tour with a Local Guide: $48
- 4-Hour Guided Kayak Experience in Rio de Janeiro: $75
- 4-Hour Private Guided Tour in Rio de Janeiro: $95
- 4-hour Sum-up Of Rio de Janeiro "Private Tour" – Optional Airport & Port Pick-up: $149
- 4x4 Jeep Jungle Tour Rio de Janeiro: $52
- 5-Hour Rio's Essential Sights: Private Tour – Optional Airport & Port Pick-ups: $154
- 8 Hour Private Tour by Car in Rio de Janeiro: $276
- 8-hour Rio Overview Private Tour optional Airport, Port Pickups: $231
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayArusha $11Rio de Janeiro $12
Sample the Local Flavors in Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Rio de Janeiro:
- Lapa by Night: Samba, Cachaça & The Ultimate Rio Pub Crawl: $30
- Petropolis City Tour with Imperial Museum and Optional Lunch & Bohemia Brewery: $47
- Rio Pub Crawl with Caipirinhas & Bar Bites: $95
- Petrópolis City and Brewery Bohemia Tour - Best of Rio's Mountains: $110
- Rio: Sitio Burle Marx and Cachaça Distillery Private Tour: $182
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Arusha and Rio de Janeiro, we can see that Arusha is more expensive. And not only is Rio de Janeiro much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Arusha is in Africa and Rio de Janeiro is in South America, 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 Rio de Janeiro would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Rio de Janeiro 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 Rio de Janeiro.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Arusha Expensive? and Is Rio de Janeiro Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Arusha or Rio de Janeiro?
Rio de Janeiro has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Arusha. When comparing the sizes of Arusha and Rio de Janeiro, 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.