Cost of Living Comparison Between Ben Arous and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Ben Arous and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $647 per month in Ben Arous vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,063 per month in Ben Arous vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,479 per month in Ben Arous vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ben Arous is about 24% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ben Arous and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ben Arous 51% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 TND 10.17

$2.04 ฿68.2

70.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.78 TND 63.9

$18.71 ฿624

16.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.21 TND 12.36

$7.86 ฿262

-46.44%

Cappuccino

$0.77 TND 2.26

$2.03 ฿67.7

-62.07%

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

$0.65 TND 1.90

$0.80 ฿26.64

-18.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 TND 0.75

$0.35 ฿11.68

-25.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 TND 4.34

$2.14 ฿71.5

-30.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 TND 5.62

$3.67 ฿122

-47.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.49 TND 1.43

$1.73 ฿57.6

-71.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.17 TND 0.51

$1.57 ฿52.4

-89.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 TND 4.74

$1.20 ฿39.99

35.00%

Eggs

$1.58 TND 4.63

$1.97 ฿65.8

-19.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.20 TND 32.86

$16.23 ฿541

-30.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.31 TND 18.51

$3.06 ฿102

106.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.92 TND 43.77

$10.80 ฿360

38.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 TND 6.14

$2.77 ฿92.3

-24.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 TND 8.72

$1.17 ฿38.94

153.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.17 TND 3.44

$1.71 ฿57.0

-31.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 TND 2.09

$1.59 ฿53.2

-55.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 TND 2.35

$1.39 ฿46.51

-42.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 TND 2.24

$1.16 ฿38.56

-34.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 TND 1.36

$0.66 ฿22.05

-30.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 TND 0.94

$0.52 ฿17.31

-38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.51 TND 10.30

$4.65 ฿155

-24.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.58 TND 19.30

$17.78 ฿593

-62.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 TND 3.21

$1.79 ฿59.6

-39.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 TND 3.69

$3.34 ฿111

-62.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 TND 1.24

$0.91 ฿30.27

-53.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.33 TND 39.13

$18.64 ฿622

-28.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.30 TND 0.87

$1.41 ฿47.04

-78.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 TND 0.98

$1.34 ฿44.70

-75.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 TND 10.05

$8.11 ฿270

-57.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 TND 2.57

$1.23 ฿41.16

-28.46%

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

$40.6K TND 119.0K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

89.21%

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

$34.2K TND 100.4K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

56.83%

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

$48.99 TND 144

$71.3 ฿2,379

-31.32%

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

$10.12 TND 29.69

$14.01 ฿467

-27.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.98 TND 61.6

$17.93 ฿598

17.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.65 TND 95.8

$40.82 ฿1,362

-20.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.77 TND 49.21

$6.88 ฿230

143.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.96 TND 14.57

$5.72 ฿191

-13.29%

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

$110 TND 321

$308 ฿10.3K

-64.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,449 TND 7,187

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-83.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.12 TND 129

$55.8 ฿1,860

-20.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.03 TND 129

$26.04 ฿869

69.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 TND 287

$84.8 ฿2,829

15.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.7 TND 237

$71.0 ฿2,368

13.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$185 TND 542

$423 ฿14.1K

-56.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 TND 403

$242 ฿8,088

-43.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$369 TND 1,084

$797 ฿26.6K

-53.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 TND 808

$507 ฿16.9K

-45.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$933 TND 2,739

$1,918 ฿64.0K

-51.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$425 TND 1,248

$1,464 ฿48.8K

-70.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$257 TND 755

$595 ฿19.9K

-56.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.96

119.20%

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

Last update for Ben Arous: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $185 in Ben Arous versus $423 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 131% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Ben Arous versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Ben Arous vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Ben Arous 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

Ben Arous vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $647 in Ben Arous, $852 in Chiang Mai – roughly 32% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $971 per month in Ben Arous and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ben Arous, 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 Ben Arous and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $647 in Ben Arous and $852 in Chiang Mai. 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 $647 in Ben Arous and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $647 in Ben Arous to $852 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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