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: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $719 in Carthage.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $1,125 in Carthage.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,532 in Carthage.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 30% more expensive than in Carthage, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Carthage 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$5.25 TND 15.23

-60.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$22.41 TND 65.0

-12.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$5.96 TND 17.30

-4.87%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.12 TND 3.24

61.61%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.81 TND 2.34

-4.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.28 TND 0.80

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.66 TND 4.82

33.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.00 TND 5.81

89.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$0.52 TND 1.52

294.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.27 TND 0.78

459.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.68 TND 4.87

-16.67%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.76 TND 5.09

28.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$10.43 TND 30.27

55.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$6.13 TND 17.77

-52.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$14.89 TND 43.19

-36.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$1.36 TND 3.94

97.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$3.82 TND 11.09

-71.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.17 TND 3.39

38.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$0.76 TND 2.20

92.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.93 TND 2.70

37.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.66 TND 1.90

60.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.58 TND 1.67

24.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.32 TND 0.92

65.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.88 TND 11.24

9.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$6.67 TND 19.36

174.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.36 TND 3.94

19.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.26 TND 3.64

130.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.41 TND 1.20

114.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$13.94 TND 40.44

285.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.32 TND 0.92

265.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.36 TND 1.03

61.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$1.82 TND 5.27

31.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.84 TND 2.43

72.62%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$40.5K TND 117.5K

-48.12%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$36.0K TND 104.4K

-26.59%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$46.48 TND 135

36.94%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$9.20 TND 26.69

40.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$20.47 TND 59.4

0.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$33.61 TND 97.5

16.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$13.84 TND 40.13

-71.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$5.17 TND 14.98

27.27%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$113 TND 327

595.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$3,312 TND 9,607

342.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$51.2 TND 148

7.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$65.9 TND 191

-62.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$116 TND 336

-18.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$67.9 TND 197

8.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$213 TND 617

130.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$159 TND 460

81.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$210 TND 610

323.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$275 TND 799

89.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$989 TND 2,868

99.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$621 TND 1,802

132.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$277 TND 805

116.86%

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 Carthage: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $213 in Carthage. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 117% 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: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $22.00 in Carthage. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $199, 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 30% in total monthly costs ($932 vs $719 including rent). Carthage is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 117% 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: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $213 in Carthage. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% 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 $22.00 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $719 in Carthage versus $932 in Chiang Mai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Carthage but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Carthage the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 30% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.