Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ben Arous and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Ben Arous: $692 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ben Arous, Tunisia
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Ben Arous
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$692
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ben Arous and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ben Arous and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $692 per month in Ben Arous vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Ben Arous $692
  • Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $1,093 per month in Ben Arous vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Ben Arous $1,093
  • Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $1,494 per month in Ben Arous vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Ben Arous $1,494
  • Chiang Mai $1,979

Ben Arous is about 26% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Ben Arous and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ben Arous 49% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ben Arous
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.29 TND 15.91
$2.24 ฿75.6
136.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.75 TND 59.4
$19.00 ฿641
3.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.88 TND 14.68
$5.55 ฿187
-12.07%
Cappuccino
$1.18 TND 3.55
$1.67 ฿56.5
-29.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 TND 1.95
$0.64 ฿21.54
1.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.25 TND 0.75
$0.31 ฿10.31
-19.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.62 TND 4.86
$2.36 ฿79.5
-31.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 TND 5.93
$3.66 ฿124
-45.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ben Arous
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.48 TND 1.43
$1.95 ฿65.7
-75.38%
White Bread (500g)
$0.10 TND 0.30
$1.44 ฿48.46
-93.06%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.62 TND 4.85
$1.33 ฿45.03
21.80%
Eggs
$1.41 TND 4.24
$2.28 ฿77.1
-38.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.39 TND 31.21
$16.45 ฿555
-36.84%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.86 TND 17.61
$2.78 ฿93.9
110.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.99 TND 51.0
$9.31 ฿314
82.49%
Apples (1kg)
$1.66 TND 4.97
$2.35 ฿79.4
-29.36%
Banana (1kg)
$4.44 TND 13.35
$0.97 ฿32.79
357.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.94 TND 2.82
$1.60 ฿53.9
-41.25%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.75 TND 2.26
$1.50 ฿50.6
-50.00%
Potato (1kg)
$0.85 TND 2.54
$1.28 ฿43.11
-33.59%
Onion (1kg)
$0.65 TND 1.97
$1.10 ฿37.18
-40.91%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.48 TND 1.43
$0.71 ฿23.82
-32.39%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.31 TND 0.92
$0.49 ฿16.36
-36.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.52 TND 10.56
$4.14 ฿140
-14.98%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.61 TND 19.86
$17.52 ฿591
-62.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.96 TND 2.89
$1.61 ฿54.5
-40.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23 TND 3.69
$2.78 ฿93.9
-55.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Ben Arous
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.38 TND 1.15
$0.87 ฿29.30
-56.32%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$13.41 TND 40.30
$54.1 ฿1,825
-75.21%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.29 TND 0.86
$1.16 ฿39.04
-75.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.29 TND 0.86
$0.53 ฿17.80
-45.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.83 TND 5.51
$2.42 ฿81.7
-24.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.80 TND 2.40
$1.45 ฿48.88
-44.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.3K TND 118.0K
$21.1K ฿710.5K
86.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.7K TND 68.1K
$26.9K ฿909.0K
-15.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ben Arous
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$54.1 TND 163
$62.2 ฿2,098
-13.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.23 TND 30.74
$12.17 ฿411
-15.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.21 TND 60.7
$20.12 ฿679
0.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ben Arous
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.52 TND 97.7
$37.31 ฿1,259
-12.84%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.90 TND 50.8
$3.77 ฿127
348.28%
Cinema Ticket
$5.03 TND 15.10
$6.49 ฿219
-22.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ben Arous
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$62.2 TND 187
$736 ฿24.8K
-91.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,924 TND 5,779
$14.8K ฿498.2K
-86.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ben Arous
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.82 TND 132
$53.4 ฿1,801
-17.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$61.2 TND 184
$24.64 ฿831
148.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.3 TND 259
$91.5 ฿3,087
-5.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$46.70 TND 140
$71.9 ฿2,427
-35.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ben Arous
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$208 TND 624
$482 ฿16.3K
-56.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$152 TND 458
$309 ฿10.4K
-50.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$379 TND 1,140
$1,006 ฿33.9K
-62.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$269 TND 808
$633 ฿21.4K
-57.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$909 TND 2,731
$2,363 ฿79.7K
-61.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$419 TND 1,260
$1,589 ฿53.6K
-73.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ben Arous
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$249 TND 747
$590 ฿19.9K
-57.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.5
5.57
88.51%

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

Last update for Ben Arous: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Ben Arous
$202
Chiang Mai
$234 16.2% $33
Accommodation & Living
Ben Arous
$152
Chiang Mai
$309 103% $156
Clothing & Footwear
Ben Arous
$107
Chiang Mai
$109 1.4% $1.5
Eating Out
Ben Arous
$87
Chiang Mai
$78 10.7% $9.3
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ben Arous
$85
Chiang Mai
$94 11.7% $9.9
Sport & Entertainment
Ben Arous
$43
Chiang Mai
$50 18.1% $7.7
Getting Around
Ben Arous
$17
Chiang Mai
$61 268% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $208 in Ben Arous versus $482 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 in Chiang Mai are about 2.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20 in Ben Arous versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $202 in Ben Arous vs $234 in Chiang Mai – so Ben Arous wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇳 Ben Arous
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
04:23 4:23 AM
10:23 10:23 AM
6 h ahead of Ben Arous
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
88,322
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to TND – Tunisian Dinar Converter

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3 TND (1 TND = 0.333 USD). 1 EUR = 3.35 TND (1 TND = 0.298 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ben Arous Chiang Mai 8,670 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ben Arous
  • Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
How do living costs in Ben Arous and in Chiang Mai compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $692 in Ben Arous, $936 in Chiang Mai – Ben Arous comes out roughly 26% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Ben Arous compared to Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,038 per month in Ben Arous and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Ben Arous and Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ben Arous, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $208 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $20 in Ben Arous and $19 in Chiang Mai. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Ben Arous or Chiang Mai?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $692 in Ben Arous and $936 in Chiang Mai. That makes Ben Arous about 26% cheaper.
How far does $1,200 go in Ben Arous compared to Chiang Mai?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $692 in Ben Arous and $936 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Ben Arous or Chiang Mai?
Families tend to lean toward Ben Arous – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Ben Arous or Chiang Mai safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
How do I decide between Ben Arous and Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Ben Arous. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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