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 $660 in Ben Arous, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,058 in Ben Arous, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,456 in Ben Arous, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 29% 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

$1.96 ฿64.0

$3.41 TND 9.87

-42.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$21.63 TND 62.5

-13.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$4.14 TND 11.97

91.30%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$0.77 TND 2.24

148.05%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.65 TND 1.87

29.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.26 TND 0.74

34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.48 TND 4.29

49.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.00 TND 5.77

90.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.49 TND 1.40

234.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.18 TND 0.51

800.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.63 TND 4.72

-27.61%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.59 TND 4.59

26.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$11.17 TND 32.27

42.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.10 TND 17.64

-50.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$14.76 TND 42.66

-27.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.08 TND 6.01

25.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.96 TND 8.56

-58.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.13 TND 3.25

50.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.72 TND 2.08

119.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.75 TND 2.16

76.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.72 TND 2.08

62.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.43 TND 1.24

55.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.30 TND 0.86

86.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$3.53 TND 10.20

28.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$7.83 TND 22.62

132.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.14 TND 3.30

60.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.23 TND 3.56

162.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.42 TND 1.22

111.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$13.62 TND 39.37

42.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.32 TND 0.94

321.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.33 TND 0.96

309.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$3.30 TND 9.54

150.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.83 TND 2.39

53.01%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$40.6K TND 117.2K

-47.83%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$34.4K TND 99.4K

-34.63%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$48.91 TND 141

43.43%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$9.89 TND 28.59

39.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$20.99 TND 60.7

-16.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$32.32 TND 93.4

28.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$17.21 TND 49.74

-61.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$4.93 TND 14.24

17.24%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$107 TND 308

187.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$2,513 TND 7,262

490.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$44.31 TND 128

22.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$44.45 TND 128

-41.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$94.9 TND 274

-10.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$78.3 TND 226

-11.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$185 TND 536

128.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$138 TND 398

73.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$378 TND 1,094

117.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$268 TND 774

92.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$942 TND 2,721

117.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$434 TND 1,255

250.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$254 TND 733

150.57%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ben Arous: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 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 151% 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 – $243 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, $660 in Ben Arous – roughly 29% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $990 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 $660 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 $660 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 $660 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.