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: $629 in Carthage versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,053 in Carthage versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,476 in Carthage versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Carthage costs roughly 27% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Carthage 53% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.05 TND 14.31

$1.96 ฿65.9

157.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.25 TND 71.5

$18.35 ฿617

37.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 TND 14.34

$7.48 ฿252

-32.35%

Cappuccino

$1.07 TND 3.04

$2.02 ฿67.8

-47.03%

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

$0.71 TND 2.02

$0.85 ฿28.52

-16.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 TND 0.73

$0.36 ฿11.97

-27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 TND 4.88

$2.14 ฿71.9

-19.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 TND 5.59

$3.59 ฿121

-45.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.47 TND 1.32

$1.65 ฿55.5

-71.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.20 TND 0.55

$1.57 ฿52.7

-87.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 TND 4.83

$1.19 ฿40.05

42.86%

Eggs

$1.64 TND 4.65

$1.94 ฿65.1

-15.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.64 TND 30.15

$16.19 ฿545

-34.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.03 TND 17.10

$2.99 ฿101

101.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.54 TND 41.19

$10.94 ฿368

32.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 TND 5.70

$2.71 ฿91.2

-25.83%

Banana (1kg)

$3.40 TND 9.63

$1.17 ฿39.27

190.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 TND 3.19

$1.69 ฿56.8

-33.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 TND 2.08

$1.60 ฿54.0

-54.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 TND 2.12

$1.38 ฿46.56

-45.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 TND 1.84

$1.20 ฿40.47

-45.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 TND 1.22

$0.67 ฿22.51

-35.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 TND 0.81

$0.56 ฿18.74

-48.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.43 TND 9.71

$4.64 ฿156

-26.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.88 TND 19.51

$17.62 ฿593

-60.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 TND 3.82

$1.86 ฿62.6

-27.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 TND 3.56

$3.30 ฿111

-61.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 TND 0.92

$0.88 ฿29.70

-62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.39 TND 20.93

$19.34 ฿651

-61.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 TND 0.91

$1.36 ฿45.92

-76.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 TND 0.94

$1.34 ฿45.00

-75.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 TND 9.65

$8.21 ฿276

-58.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 TND 2.32

$1.22 ฿41.20

-32.79%

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

$41.4K TND 117.2K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

93.67%

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

$36.0K TND 102.0K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

59.81%

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

$45.15 TND 128

$70.7 ฿2,378

-36.11%

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

$9.42 TND 26.68

$14.04 ฿472

-32.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.30 TND 51.9

$17.49 ฿589

4.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 TND 107

$42.15 ฿1,418

-10.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.32 TND 37.74

$6.88 ฿231

93.60%

Cinema Ticket

$5.17 TND 14.64

$5.92 ฿199

-12.67%

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

$109 TND 309

$309 ฿10.4K

-64.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,309 TND 9,377

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-77.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.19 TND 131

$55.8 ฿1,876

-17.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.2 TND 171

$26.11 ฿879

130.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 TND 276

$83.0 ฿2,793

17.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.7 TND 186

$70.5 ฿2,371

-6.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$168 TND 475

$432 ฿14.5K

-61.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 TND 287

$239 ฿8,040

-57.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 TND 862

$822 ฿27.7K

-63.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 TND 676

$512 ฿17.2K

-53.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$957 TND 2,712

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-50.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$626 TND 1,773

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-57.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$270 TND 764

$579 ฿19.5K

-53.48%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $168 in Carthage and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 115% 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: $25.00 in Carthage vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $196 vs $243, 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 37% in total monthly costs ($629 vs $861 including rent). Carthage is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 115% lower in Chiang Mai. 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 $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% 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 $25.00 versus $18.00 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 37% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.