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 $689 per month in Chengdu vs $768 in La Marsa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,083 per month in Chengdu vs $1,356 in La Marsa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,477 per month in Chengdu vs $1,944 in La Marsa, rent included.

Chengdu is about 10% 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 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 ¥19.30

$3.32 TND 9.64

-14.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.00 ¥162

$21.93 TND 63.7

9.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 ¥33.72

$4.12 TND 11.98

21.12%

Cappuccino

$2.77 ¥18.73

$0.71 TND 2.06

290.14%

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

$0.46 ¥3.14

$0.59 TND 1.72

-22.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.06

$0.23 TND 0.66

30.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ¥7.62

$1.50 TND 4.36

-24.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.43

$2.52 TND 7.31

-15.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ¥12.18

$0.49 TND 1.44

267.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ¥9.38

$0.20 TND 0.57

595.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.09

$1.53 TND 4.45

-41.18%

Eggs

$1.86 ¥12.59

$1.63 TND 4.72

14.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.62 ¥92.1

$11.19 TND 32.49

21.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 ¥24.07

$5.74 TND 16.67

-37.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.23 ¥76.0

$13.71 TND 39.79

-18.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ¥12.61

$1.95 TND 5.67

-4.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.99

$3.10 TND 8.99

-61.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.15

$1.01 TND 2.94

48.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 ¥7.01

$0.74 TND 2.15

40.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.73

$0.63 TND 1.83

11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.71

$0.47 TND 1.36

48.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.81

$0.36 TND 1.05

55.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.12

$0.27 TND 0.78

125.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 ¥21.91

$3.40 TND 9.88

-4.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.44 ¥36.77

$6.76 TND 19.62

-19.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ¥6.78

$1.13 TND 3.30

-11.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.67

$1.06 TND 3.07

76.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.77

$0.35 TND 1.03

17.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.31 ¥185

$6.87 TND 19.93

297.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ¥8.28

$0.29 TND 0.83

320.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ¥1.75

$0.20 TND 0.58

30.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 ¥27.62

$3.96 TND 11.49

3.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$0.88 TND 2.54

29.55%

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

$18.7K ¥126.6K

$34.0K TND 98.8K

-44.97%

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

$16.0K ¥108.4K

$27.6K TND 80.1K

-41.89%

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

$45.05 ¥305

$33.90 TND 98.4

32.89%

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

$11.69 ¥79.1

$9.46 TND 27.47

23.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.38 ¥77.0

$14.53 TND 42.19

-21.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.49 ¥166

$45.94 TND 133

-46.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ¥75.5

$7.77 TND 22.55

43.63%

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 ¥37.45

$4.60 TND 13.36

20.43%

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

$333 ¥2,249

$84.1 TND 244

295.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K ¥82.1K

$2,375 TND 6,897

410.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.92 ¥256

$45.42 TND 132

-16.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.57 ¥261

$44.83 TND 130

-13.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.4 ¥456

$88.7 TND 258

-24.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.7 ¥343

$65.6 TND 191

-22.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$318 ¥2,149

$354 TND 1,028

-10.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ¥1,213

$280 TND 812

-35.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$610 ¥4,128

$775 TND 2,249

-21.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 ¥2,263

$830 TND 2,408

-59.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,810 ¥25.8K

$1,872 TND 5,436

103.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,922 ¥13.0K

$1,046 TND 3,038

83.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,257 ¥8,501

$346 TND 1,004

263.61%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for La Marsa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $318 in Chengdu versus $354 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 264% 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: $196 vs $188 – 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: $689 in Chengdu, $768 in La Marsa – roughly 12% apart. La Marsa costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,033 per month in Chengdu and $1,152 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 $689 in Chengdu and $768 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 $689 in Chengdu and $768 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 $689 in Chengdu to $768 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.