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 $660 per month in Ben Arous vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,058 per month in Ben Arous vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,456 per month in Ben Arous vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ben Arous is about 23% 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

$3.41 TND 9.87

$1.96 ฿64.0

73.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.63 TND 62.5

$18.81 ฿615

14.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 TND 11.97

$7.92 ฿259

-47.73%

Cappuccino

$0.77 TND 2.24

$1.91 ฿62.6

-59.69%

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

$0.65 TND 1.87

$0.84 ฿27.41

-22.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 TND 0.74

$0.35 ฿11.51

-25.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 TND 4.29

$2.21 ฿72.1

-33.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 TND 5.77

$3.80 ฿124

-47.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.49 TND 1.40

$1.64 ฿53.5

-70.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.18 TND 0.51

$1.62 ฿53.1

-88.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 TND 4.72

$1.18 ฿38.62

38.14%

Eggs

$1.59 TND 4.59

$2.01 ฿65.8

-20.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.17 TND 32.27

$15.89 ฿520

-29.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.10 TND 17.64

$3.01 ฿98.5

102.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.76 TND 42.66

$10.77 ฿352

37.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 TND 6.01

$2.61 ฿85.5

-20.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.96 TND 8.56

$1.22 ฿39.88

142.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 TND 3.25

$1.70 ฿55.7

-33.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 TND 2.08

$1.58 ฿51.5

-54.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 TND 2.16

$1.32 ฿43.14

-43.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 TND 2.08

$1.17 ฿38.23

-38.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 TND 1.24

$0.67 ฿21.98

-35.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 TND 0.86

$0.56 ฿18.32

-46.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.53 TND 10.20

$4.53 ฿148

-22.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.83 TND 22.62

$18.20 ฿595

-56.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 TND 3.30

$1.83 ฿60.0

-37.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 TND 3.56

$3.23 ฿106

-61.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 TND 1.22

$0.89 ฿29.00

-52.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.62 TND 39.37

$19.38 ฿634

-29.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 TND 0.94

$1.35 ฿44.20

-76.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 TND 0.96

$1.35 ฿44.05

-75.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 TND 9.54

$8.25 ฿270

-60.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 TND 2.39

$1.27 ฿41.64

-34.65%

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

$40.6K TND 117.2K

$21.2K ฿691.8K

91.69%

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

$34.4K TND 99.4K

$22.5K ฿735.3K

52.97%

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

$48.91 TND 141

$70.2 ฿2,294

-30.28%

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

$9.89 TND 28.59

$13.77 ฿450

-28.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.99 TND 60.7

$17.60 ฿575

19.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.32 TND 93.4

$41.57 ฿1,360

-22.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.21 TND 49.74

$6.60 ฿216

160.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 TND 14.24

$5.78 ฿189

-14.71%

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

$107 TND 308

$306 ฿10.0K

-65.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,513 TND 7,262

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-83.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.31 TND 128

$54.4 ฿1,778

-18.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.45 TND 128

$26.14 ฿855

70.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 TND 274

$84.5 ฿2,764

12.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.3 TND 226

$69.4 ฿2,270

12.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$185 TND 536

$424 ฿13.9K

-56.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 TND 398

$238 ฿7,788

-42.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 TND 1,094

$825 ฿27.0K

-54.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 TND 774

$515 ฿16.8K

-48.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$942 TND 2,721

$2,049 ฿67.0K

-54.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$434 TND 1,255

$1,523 ฿49.8K

-71.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$254 TND 733

$635 ฿20.8K

-60.09%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $185 in Ben Arous versus $424 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 151% 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 $243 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: $660 in Ben Arous, $852 in Chiang Mai – roughly 29% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $990 per month in Ben Arous and $1,278 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 $660 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 $660 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 $660 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.