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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $466 in Djerba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $821 in Djerba, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,177 in Djerba, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 85% more than Djerba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Djerba are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Djerba 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$2.80 TND 8.18

-30.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$20.05 TND 58.7

-8.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$3.34 TND 9.76

123.95%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$0.71 TND 2.08

184.51%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.64 TND 1.87

32.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.25 TND 0.73

44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.48 TND 4.33

44.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$1.93 TND 5.65

86.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.49 TND 1.44

236.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.16 TND 0.48

881.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.56 TND 4.57

-23.72%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.50 TND 4.40

29.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$10.23 TND 29.94

58.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.10 TND 14.93

-41.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$13.38 TND 39.14

-18.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.65 TND 4.84

64.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$2.57 TND 7.51

-54.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.01 TND 2.96

67.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.66 TND 1.94

142.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.60 TND 1.76

130.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.70 TND 2.04

71.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.52 TND 1.51

28.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.28 TND 0.81

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.45 TND 10.10

34.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$6.07 TND 17.77

190.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.09 TND 3.19

70.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$0.83 TND 2.43

297.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.18 TND 0.53

388.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$10.04 TND 29.38

92.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.29 TND 0.84

368.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.21 TND 0.61

538.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$7.57 TND 22.16

8.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.89 TND 2.61

37.08%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$35.0K TND 102.3K

-38.94%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$34.8K TND 101.9K

-35.32%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$23.49 TND 68.7

200.85%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$9.50 TND 27.81

47.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$14.77 TND 43.22

18.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$16.75 TND 49.02

151.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$17.01 TND 49.77

-59.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.03 TND 11.80

46.90%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$50.2 TND 147

514.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$2,505 TND 7,328

494.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$33.62 TND 98.4

65.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$43.74 TND 128

-40.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$33.42 TND 97.8

148.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$65.7 TND 192

7.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$119 TND 348

263.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$68.3 TND 200

249.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$282 TND 826

191.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$216 TND 631

137.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$960 TND 2,810

99.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$619 TND 1,810

137.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$279 TND 817

107.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.6

-63.24%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Djerba: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $119 in Djerba. 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 108% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $20.00 in Djerba. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $174 in Djerba – so Djerba 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 Djerba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 85% more than Djerba, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $699 in Djerba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Djerba, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $50.2 in Djerba. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $466 in Djerba, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Djerba costs $466 versus $861 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Djerba. 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.