Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and La Marsa Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and La Marsa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $677 per month in Chengdu vs $774 in La Marsa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,074 per month in Chengdu vs $1,355 in La Marsa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,472 per month in Chengdu vs $1,936 in La Marsa, rent included.

Chengdu is about 13% cheaper than La Marsa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chengdu and La Marsa are more affordable than the global median – Chengdu 49% lower, La Marsa 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.82 ¥19.09

$3.43 TND 9.71

-17.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.08 ¥163

$22.16 TND 62.8

8.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 ¥33.66

$4.12 TND 11.67

20.63%

Cappuccino

$2.76 ¥18.71

$0.78 TND 2.20

253.85%

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

$0.43 ¥2.92

$0.60 TND 1.69

-28.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.88

$0.25 TND 0.71

12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.70

$1.48 TND 4.20

-22.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥13.97

$2.47 TND 6.99

-16.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 ¥12.28

$0.54 TND 1.52

235.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ¥9.39

$0.19 TND 0.55

631.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.31

$1.48 TND 4.19

-37.16%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.10

$1.59 TND 4.49

22.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.76 ¥93.2

$11.11 TND 31.47

23.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 ¥24.41

$5.59 TND 15.85

-35.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.32 ¥76.6

$13.46 TND 38.13

-15.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 ¥12.94

$1.95 TND 5.53

-2.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ¥8.28

$3.09 TND 8.75

-60.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.18

$1.01 TND 2.87

48.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ¥6.90

$0.68 TND 1.93

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.81

$0.68 TND 1.92

4.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.76

$0.47 TND 1.33

48.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ¥4.09

$0.33 TND 0.95

81.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.16

$0.25 TND 0.71

144.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ¥23.02

$3.34 TND 9.47

1.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.50 ¥37.19

$6.83 TND 19.35

-19.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ¥6.42

$1.14 TND 3.23

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥12.53

$1.05 TND 2.97

76.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.33 TND 0.92

30.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.94 ¥189

$6.71 TND 19.00

316.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 ¥8.38

$0.31 TND 0.89

300.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ¥1.91

$0.22 TND 0.62

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.16 ¥28.15

$4.05 TND 11.47

2.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.95

$0.84 TND 2.39

39.29%

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

$18.5K ¥125.0K

$34.5K TND 97.8K

-46.51%

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

$16.7K ¥112.7K

$27.2K TND 77.0K

-38.73%

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

$44.66 ¥302

$34.70 TND 98.3

28.70%

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

$11.53 ¥78.1

$9.33 TND 26.44

23.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.33 ¥76.7

$14.55 TND 41.22

-22.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.18 ¥164

$44.76 TND 127

-45.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.55 ¥78.2

$7.44 TND 21.08

55.24%

Cinema Ticket

$5.69 ¥38.53

$4.70 TND 13.33

21.06%

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

$330 ¥2,232

$84.2 TND 238

291.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K ¥83.5K

$2,343 TND 6,638

426.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.54 ¥254

$44.45 TND 126

-15.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.48 ¥260

$44.91 TND 127

-14.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.8 ¥452

$90.2 TND 256

-25.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.0 ¥339

$66.1 TND 187

-24.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$320 ¥2,165

$353 TND 1,001

-9.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 ¥1,237

$283 TND 803

-35.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 ¥4,138

$760 TND 2,155

-19.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 ¥2,224

$809 TND 2,292

-59.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,785 ¥25.6K

$1,829 TND 5,183

106.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,925 ¥13.0K

$1,027 TND 2,910

87.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,278 ¥8,647

$341 TND 967

274.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

13.6

-69.04%

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

Last update for Chengdu: July 14, 2026

Last update for La Marsa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $320 in Chengdu versus $353 in La Marsa. 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 274% higher in Chengdu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Chengdu versus $22.00 in La Marsa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $186 – making La Marsa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Chengdu vs La Marsa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $677 in Chengdu, $774 in La Marsa – roughly 14% apart. La Marsa costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,015 per month in Chengdu and $1,161 in La Marsa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chengdu, 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 $24.00 in Chengdu and $22.00 in La Marsa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $677 in Chengdu and $774 in La Marsa. 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 $677 in Chengdu and $774 in La Marsa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. La Marsa has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $677 in Chengdu to $774 in La Marsa. 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 Chengdu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, La Marsa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.