Cost of Living Comparison Between Carthage and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Carthage and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $650 in Carthage versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,056 in Carthage versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,462 in Carthage versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Carthage costs roughly 25% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Carthage 52% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.01 TND 14.55

$1.94 ฿63.5

158.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.83 TND 75.0

$18.64 ฿609

38.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.22 TND 15.14

$7.82 ฿255

-33.25%

Cappuccino

$1.06 TND 3.08

$1.95 ฿63.8

-45.64%

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

$0.70 TND 2.04

$0.85 ฿27.77

-17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 TND 0.82

$0.35 ฿11.58

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 TND 4.87

$2.13 ฿69.6

-21.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 TND 5.57

$3.73 ฿122

-48.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.49 TND 1.43

$1.71 ฿56.0

-71.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.20 TND 0.58

$1.63 ฿53.2

-87.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 TND 5.04

$1.14 ฿37.15

52.63%

Eggs

$1.64 TND 4.77

$1.93 ฿63.1

-15.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.47 TND 30.39

$16.21 ฿530

-35.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.11 TND 17.75

$3.12 ฿102

95.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.88 TND 43.21

$10.90 ฿356

36.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 TND 5.88

$2.75 ฿90.0

-26.55%

Banana (1kg)

$3.53 TND 10.24

$1.21 ฿39.52

191.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 TND 3.26

$1.62 ฿53.0

-30.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 TND 2.14

$1.59 ฿51.8

-53.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 TND 2.27

$1.40 ฿45.70

-44.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 TND 1.92

$1.17 ฿38.17

-43.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 TND 1.34

$0.66 ฿21.60

-30.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 TND 0.91

$0.53 ฿17.22

-41.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 TND 10.32

$4.69 ฿153

-24.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.78 TND 22.59

$18.66 ฿609

-58.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 TND 3.77

$1.80 ฿58.8

-27.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 TND 3.65

$3.23 ฿106

-60.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 TND 1.03

$0.90 ฿29.26

-60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.26 TND 21.08

$19.21 ฿628

-62.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 TND 0.94

$1.41 ฿45.91

-77.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 TND 0.89

$1.29 ฿42.12

-75.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 TND 9.79

$7.84 ฿256

-57.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 TND 2.41

$1.27 ฿41.58

-34.65%

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

$40.3K TND 117.1K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

89.61%

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

$36.2K TND 105.1K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

62.94%

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

$45.69 TND 133

$69.1 ฿2,256

-33.85%

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

$9.47 TND 27.50

$14.08 ฿460

-32.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.94 TND 55.0

$18.00 ฿588

5.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.63 TND 109

$41.06 ฿1,341

-8.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.48 TND 39.15

$6.96 ฿227

93.68%

Cinema Ticket

$5.31 TND 15.41

$5.92 ฿193

-10.30%

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

$109 TND 316

$299 ฿9,766

-63.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,369 TND 9,781

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-77.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.85 TND 130

$54.7 ฿1,787

-18.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.5 TND 178

$26.77 ฿874

129.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.0 TND 282

$85.0 ฿2,776

14.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.6 TND 191

$70.6 ฿2,306

-7.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$168 TND 487

$428 ฿14.0K

-60.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.8 TND 290

$237 ฿7,752

-57.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$301 TND 874

$801 ฿26.2K

-62.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 TND 695

$515 ฿16.8K

-53.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$867 TND 2,519

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-56.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$413 TND 1,198

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-72.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$278 TND 807

$617 ฿20.2K

-54.99%

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 Carthage: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $168 in Carthage and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 122% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $26.00 in Carthage vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $200 vs $246, with Carthage cheaper for home cooking.

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

Carthage vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Carthage and Chiang Mai differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($650 vs $866 including rent). Carthage is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Chiang Mai earns 122% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $168 in Carthage versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Carthage – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Carthage gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Carthage and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Carthage gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.