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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $700 in Ben Arous, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,113 in Ben Arous, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,525 in Ben Arous, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 33% more than Ben Arous, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Ben Arous are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Ben Arous 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$5.47 TND 15.85

-61.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$20.21 TND 58.6

-2.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$5.18 TND 15.02

9.46%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.15 TND 3.34

57.39%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.63 TND 1.82

22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.26 TND 0.75

34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.75 TND 5.07

26.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.06 TND 5.98

83.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$0.52 TND 1.50

294.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.10 TND 0.29

1410.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.76 TND 5.11

-20.45%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.47 TND 4.26

53.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$10.69 TND 31.01

51.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$6.14 TND 17.82

-52.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$16.17 TND 46.90

-41.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$1.70 TND 4.92

57.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$4.67 TND 13.56

-76.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$0.99 TND 2.87

63.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$0.72 TND 2.10

102.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.71 TND 2.05

80.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.68 TND 1.96

55.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.49 TND 1.43

46.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.33 TND 0.96

60.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.66 TND 10.62

15.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$6.96 TND 20.18

162.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$0.96 TND 2.77

69.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.21 TND 3.52

139.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.36 TND 1.06

144.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$13.53 TND 39.25

297.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.30 TND 0.86

290.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.33 TND 0.97

75.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$1.81 TND 5.26

32.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.88 TND 2.56

64.77%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$40.6K TND 117.6K

-48.19%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$23.5K TND 68.3K

12.22%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$55.9 TND 162

13.93%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$10.43 TND 30.27

23.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$20.74 TND 60.2

-1.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$33.68 TND 97.7

15.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$17.05 TND 49.46

-77.01%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$5.10 TND 14.79

29.02%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$63.4 TND 184

1137.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$1,979 TND 5,741

641.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$47.55 TND 138

15.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$65.5 TND 190

-62.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$89.1 TND 258

5.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$46.99 TND 136

57.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$218 TND 634

124.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$157 TND 456

83.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$382 TND 1,108

133.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$277 TND 804

88.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$950 TND 2,754

107.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$419 TND 1,215

244.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$255 TND 740

135.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.28

-45.82%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ben Arous: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $218 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 136% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $20.00 in Ben Arous. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $205 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: $932 in Chiang Mai, $700 in Ben Arous – roughly 33% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,050 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $20.00 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 $932 in Chiang Mai and $700 in Ben Arous. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ben Arous, where all-in costs run around $700, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Ben Arous it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $700 in Ben Arous to $932 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.