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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $560 in Gabes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $879 in Gabes, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,199 in Gabes, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 55% more than Gabes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Gabes are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Gabes 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$2.78 TND 8.12

-28.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$18.87 TND 55.1

-0.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$3.62 TND 10.55

114.09%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$0.82 TND 2.40

134.15%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.65 TND 1.90

21.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.25 TND 0.72

44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.22 TND 3.55

81.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.57 TND 4.58

133.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.48 TND 1.40

243.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.16 TND 0.45

918.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.28 TND 3.73

-7.03%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.71 TND 5.00

16.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$12.24 TND 35.70

30.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$5.67 TND 16.54

-46.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$14.07 TND 41.06

-22.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.56 TND 4.56

76.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.95 TND 8.61

-60.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.86 TND 2.51

90.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.57 TND 1.67

166.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.66 TND 1.94

109.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.61 TND 1.78

95.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.33 TND 0.96

112.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.31 TND 0.91

80.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$3.33 TND 9.72

37.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$3.51 TND 10.24

371.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$0.69 TND 2.01

165.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$0.89 TND 2.59

259.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.21 TND 0.62

319.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$6.83 TND 19.94

174.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.29 TND 0.84

368.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.22 TND 0.63

509.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.13 TND 17.88

27.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.89 TND 2.59

38.20%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$45.8K TND 133.8K

-52.84%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$28.4K TND 82.9K

-20.68%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$63.5 TND 185

11.12%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$7.60 TND 22.17

80.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$16.77 TND 48.93

4.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$31.63 TND 92.3

30.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$4.87 TND 14.21

42.92%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$6.32 TND 18.44

-8.70%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$58.2 TND 170

427.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,168 TND 9,243

361.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$32.62 TND 95.2

71.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$39.98 TND 117

-34.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$76.4 TND 223

12.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$84.4 TND 246

-14.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$113 TND 330

280.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$70.5 TND 206

238.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$204 TND 596

299.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$118 TND 343

333.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$998 TND 2,913

98.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$639 TND 1,864

132.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$417 TND 1,216

48.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-58.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Gabes: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $113 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 48% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Gabes. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $178 in Gabes – so Gabes 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 Gabes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 55% more than Gabes, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $840 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $58.2 in Gabes. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $560 in Gabes, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gabes costs $560 versus $869 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.