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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $920 per month in Chiang Mai vs $581 in Gabes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai vs $908 in Gabes, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,234 in Gabes, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 58% more than Gabes, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Gabes are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 33% lower, Gabes 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 ฿69.2

$2.76 TND 7.97

-23.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.75 ฿649

$18.78 TND 54.3

5.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ฿192

$3.52 TND 10.17

66.19%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ฿57.8

$0.78 TND 2.27

125.64%

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

$0.74 ฿24.40

$0.74 TND 2.15

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.91

$0.27 TND 0.78

22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 ฿81.1

$1.17 TND 3.37

111.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ฿127

$1.58 TND 4.56

145.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ฿62.4

$0.46 TND 1.32

313.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ฿54.8

$0.22 TND 0.63

659.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.30

$1.27 TND 3.69

6.30%

Eggs

$2.14 ฿70.2

$1.64 TND 4.74

30.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿522

$12.65 TND 36.59

25.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ฿93.0

$5.78 TND 16.72

-51.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 ฿346

$14.23 TND 41.17

-26.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ฿78.3

$1.93 TND 5.57

23.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$2.97 TND 8.60

-63.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.85

$0.95 TND 2.75

60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.36

$0.71 TND 2.06

111.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.01

$0.83 TND 2.41

54.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.22

$0.58 TND 1.67

89.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.57

$0.36 TND 1.03

91.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.20

$0.29 TND 0.85

68.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$3.32 TND 9.59

28.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.78 ฿551

$3.45 TND 9.97

386.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$0.75 TND 2.17

121.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿92.4

$0.82 TND 2.36

242.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.48

$0.18 TND 0.51

400.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,804

$6.77 TND 19.58

710.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ฿39.29

$0.30 TND 0.86

300.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.80

$0.20 TND 0.59

170.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿78.0

$3.98 TND 11.50

-40.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.94

$0.85 TND 2.45

68.24%

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

$21.1K ฿692.4K

$39.7K TND 114.9K

-46.95%

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

$27.1K ฿891.3K

$29.3K TND 84.9K

-7.55%

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

$64.7 ฿2,127

$68.9 TND 199

-6.08%

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

$13.19 ฿433

$7.58 TND 21.92

74.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 ฿639

$16.85 TND 48.73

15.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 ฿1,296

$32.03 TND 92.6

23.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

$4.65 TND 13.46

-18.92%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿217

$6.59 TND 19.05

0.46%

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

$805 ฿26.5K

$58.6 TND 169

1274.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.7K

$3,083 TND 8,915

390.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,798

$32.11 TND 92.9

70.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 ฿835

$41.45 TND 120

-38.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 ฿3,019

$76.4 TND 221

20.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 ฿2,452

$108 TND 313

-30.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ฿15.3K

$114 TND 329

310.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ฿9,262

$72.0 TND 208

291.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.3K

$202 TND 583

341.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.1K

$118 TND 340

343.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 ฿65.2K

$968 TND 2,799

105.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿48.0K

$622 TND 1,798

135.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

$424 TND 1,226

39.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-53.58%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Last update for Gabes: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Chiang Mai versus $114 in Gabes. 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 40% 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 $19.00 in Gabes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $184 – making Gabes the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Gabes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 58% more than Gabes, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,380 per month in Chiang Mai and $872 in Gabes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $805 per month in Chiang Mai and $58.6 in Gabes. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gabes, where all-in costs run around $581, than in Chiang Mai at $920. In Gabes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gabes costs $581 versus $920 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 Gabes. 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.