Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Carthage Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Carthage

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $629 in Carthage.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $1,053 in Carthage.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $1,476 in Carthage.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 37% more expensive than in Carthage, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Carthage 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$5.05 TND 14.77

-61.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$25.25 TND 73.9

-27.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$5.06 TND 14.80

47.83%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.07 TND 3.14

88.79%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.71 TND 2.09

19.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.26 TND 0.76

38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.72 TND 5.04

24.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$1.97 TND 5.77

82.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.47 TND 1.36

251.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.20 TND 0.57

685.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.70 TND 4.99

-30.00%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.64 TND 4.80

18.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$10.64 TND 31.14

52.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$6.03 TND 17.66

-50.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$14.54 TND 42.54

-24.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.01 TND 5.89

34.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$3.40 TND 9.95

-65.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.12 TND 3.29

50.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.73 TND 2.14

119.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.75 TND 2.19

84.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.65 TND 1.90

84.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.43 TND 1.26

55.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.29 TND 0.83

93.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.43 TND 10.03

35.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$6.88 TND 20.14

156.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.35 TND 3.94

37.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.26 TND 3.68

161.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.33 TND 0.95

166.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$7.39 TND 21.61

161.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.32 TND 0.94

325.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.33 TND 0.97

306.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$3.41 TND 9.96

140.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.82 TND 2.40

48.78%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$41.4K TND 121.0K

-48.37%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$36.0K TND 105.3K

-37.43%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$45.15 TND 132

56.52%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$9.42 TND 27.56

49.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$18.30 TND 53.6

-4.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$37.88 TND 111

11.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$13.32 TND 38.97

-48.35%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$5.17 TND 15.11

14.51%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$109 TND 319

182.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$3,309 TND 9,683

349.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$46.19 TND 135

20.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$60.2 TND 176

-56.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$97.3 TND 285

-14.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$65.7 TND 192

7.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$168 TND 491

157.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$101 TND 296

136.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$304 TND 890

170.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$239 TND 698

114.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$957 TND 2,800

100.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$626 TND 1,831

134.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$270 TND 789

114.96%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Carthage: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $168 in Carthage. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 115% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $25.00 in Carthage. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $196, with Carthage cheaper for home cooking.

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 Carthage: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Carthage differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($861 vs $629 including rent). Carthage is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 115% higher in Chiang Mai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $432 in Chiang Mai versus $168 in Carthage. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Chiang Mai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Carthage – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Carthage gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Carthage are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Carthage gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.