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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $652 in Ben Arous, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,052 in Ben Arous, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,451 in Ben Arous, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 33% more than Ben Arous, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Ben Arous are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Ben Arous 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$3.41 TND 9.96

-41.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$22.33 TND 65.1

-15.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$4.20 TND 12.26

84.52%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$0.71 TND 2.07

170.42%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.61 TND 1.77

29.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.26 TND 0.76

38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.54 TND 4.49

43.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.92 TND 5.60

90.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.49 TND 1.43

236.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.19 TND 0.56

757.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.62 TND 4.73

-26.54%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.57 TND 4.58

27.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$11.32 TND 33.03

41.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.16 TND 17.97

-50.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$14.68 TND 42.84

-26.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.11 TND 6.14

30.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$3.04 TND 8.85

-61.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.13 TND 3.31

45.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.70 TND 2.06

117.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.75 TND 2.19

84.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.77 TND 2.25

54.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.43 TND 1.26

62.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.29 TND 0.86

93.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$3.63 TND 10.59

26.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$7.85 TND 22.91

110.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.09 TND 3.19

67.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.25 TND 3.65

156.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.39 TND 1.15

125.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$13.72 TND 40.03

36.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.32 TND 0.94

325.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.31 TND 0.89

332.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$3.43 TND 10.01

128.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.82 TND 2.39

50.00%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$40.5K TND 118.2K

-46.64%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$35.0K TND 102.0K

-35.49%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$49.32 TND 144

43.03%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$9.74 TND 28.42

40.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$21.34 TND 62.3

-18.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$31.82 TND 92.8

29.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$17.08 TND 49.83

-59.25%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.10 TND 14.88

13.14%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$109 TND 319

180.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$2,528 TND 7,377

477.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$44.77 TND 131

24.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$43.75 TND 128

-40.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$96.6 TND 282

-11.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$79.0 TND 230

-8.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$188 TND 549

128.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$138 TND 403

72.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$366 TND 1,068

123.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$271 TND 790

88.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$953 TND 2,781

108.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$431 TND 1,257

244.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$253 TND 737

144.97%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ben Arous: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $188 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 145% 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 – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $198 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: $869 in Chiang Mai, $652 in Ben Arous – roughly 33% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $978 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $652 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $652 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 $652 in Ben Arous to $869 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.