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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $556 in Gabes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $870 in Gabes, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,184 in Gabes, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 53% more than Gabes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Gabes are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Gabes 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$2.88 TND 8.32

-31.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$18.87 TND 54.5

-0.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$3.48 TND 10.07

127.59%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$0.83 TND 2.41

130.12%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.70 TND 2.03

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.25 TND 0.72

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.22 TND 3.53

81.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$1.61 TND 4.66

136.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.45 TND 1.31

264.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.19 TND 0.56

752.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.33 TND 3.83

-11.28%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.73 TND 5.01

16.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$12.22 TND 35.32

30.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$5.70 TND 16.48

-47.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$13.63 TND 39.40

-20.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.52 TND 4.38

71.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.83 TND 8.17

-56.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$0.94 TND 2.73

80.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.58 TND 1.67

172.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.71 TND 2.05

85.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.61 TND 1.75

91.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.36 TND 1.03

86.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.29 TND 0.83

93.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$3.29 TND 9.52

37.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$3.38 TND 9.77

438.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$0.68 TND 1.96

169.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$0.87 TND 2.51

271.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.19 TND 0.56

368.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$6.76 TND 19.55

186.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.29 TND 0.83

365.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.21 TND 0.60

542.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$6.19 TND 17.89

33.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.89 TND 2.57

42.70%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$46.3K TND 133.9K

-54.33%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$29.2K TND 84.3K

-22.95%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$64.0 TND 185

9.63%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$7.43 TND 21.48

85.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$17.01 TND 49.17

3.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$31.85 TND 92.0

30.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$4.83 TND 13.96

36.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$6.27 TND 18.11

-7.81%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$57.8 TND 167

429.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$3,201 TND 9,250

363.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$31.91 TND 92.2

70.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$40.45 TND 117

-35.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$76.8 TND 222

10.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$83.4 TND 241

-16.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$116 TND 336

264.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$72.5 TND 210

228.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$207 TND 598

298.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$120 TND 346

330.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$958 TND 2,770

113.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$641 TND 1,854

137.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$423 TND 1,224

50.01%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Gabes: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $116 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 50% 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 – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $176 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 53% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $834 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $57.8 in Gabes. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $556 in Gabes, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gabes costs $556 versus $852 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.