Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ben Arous Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ben Arous

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $647 in Ben Arous, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,063 in Ben Arous, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,479 in Ben Arous, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 32% more than Ben Arous, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Ben Arous are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Ben Arous 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$3.47 TND 10.17

-41.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$21.78 TND 63.9

-14.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$4.21 TND 12.36

86.70%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$0.77 TND 2.26

163.64%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.65 TND 1.90

23.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.26 TND 0.75

34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.48 TND 4.34

44.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$1.92 TND 5.62

91.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.49 TND 1.43

253.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.17 TND 0.51

823.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.62 TND 4.74

-25.93%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.58 TND 4.63

24.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$11.20 TND 32.86

44.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.31 TND 18.51

-51.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$14.92 TND 43.77

-27.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.09 TND 6.14

32.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.97 TND 8.72

-60.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.17 TND 3.44

46.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.71 TND 2.09

123.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.80 TND 2.35

73.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.76 TND 2.24

52.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.46 TND 1.36

43.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.32 TND 0.94

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$3.51 TND 10.30

32.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$6.58 TND 19.30

170.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.09 TND 3.21

64.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.26 TND 3.69

165.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.42 TND 1.24

116.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$13.33 TND 39.13

39.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.30 TND 0.87

370.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.33 TND 0.98

306.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$3.43 TND 10.05

136.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.88 TND 2.57

39.77%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$40.6K TND 119.0K

-47.15%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$34.2K TND 100.4K

-36.24%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$48.99 TND 144

45.60%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$10.12 TND 29.69

38.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$20.98 TND 61.6

-14.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$32.65 TND 95.8

25.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$16.77 TND 49.21

-58.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$4.96 TND 14.57

15.32%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$110 TND 321

181.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$2,449 TND 7,187

499.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$44.12 TND 129

26.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$44.03 TND 129

-40.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$97.7 TND 287

-13.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$80.7 TND 237

-12.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$185 TND 542

128.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$137 TND 403

76.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$369 TND 1,084

115.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$275 TND 808

84.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$933 TND 2,739

105.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$425 TND 1,248

244.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$257 TND 755

131.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.96

-54.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ben Arous: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $185 in Ben Arous. 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 131% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $22.00 in Ben Arous. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $197 in Ben Arous – so Ben Arous wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Chiang Mai vs Ben Arous: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai, $647 in Ben Arous – roughly 32% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $971 in Ben Arous. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ben Arous, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $22.00 in Ben Arous. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $852 in Chiang Mai and $647 in Ben Arous. 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $647 in Ben Arous, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $647 in Ben Arous to $852 in Chiang Mai. 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 Ben Arous. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.