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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $583 in Gafsa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $878 in Gafsa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,174 in Gafsa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 49% more than Gafsa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Gafsa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Gafsa 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$3.93 TND 11.47

-49.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$9.59 TND 27.97

96.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$2.50 TND 7.29

210.00%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$0.56 TND 1.65

242.86%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.49 TND 1.44

61.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.23 TND 0.67

56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.73 TND 5.04

27.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.68 TND 7.83

36.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.49 TND 1.43

236.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.13 TND 0.37

1153.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.70 TND 4.96

-30.00%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.06 TND 3.08

88.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$10.60 TND 30.93

50.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$5.79 TND 16.89

-47.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$11.30 TND 32.97

-3.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.47 TND 4.28

87.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$3.17 TND 9.26

-62.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.89 TND 2.59

84.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.72 TND 2.10

111.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.71 TND 2.06

94.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.51 TND 1.49

133.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.47 TND 1.37

48.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.28 TND 0.81

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.45 TND 7.14

86.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$7.66 TND 22.34

116.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.34 TND 3.92

36.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.56 TND 4.54

105.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.35 TND 1.03

151.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$11.23 TND 32.75

66.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.29 TND 0.83

368.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.24 TND 0.70

458.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$3.48 TND 10.15

125.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.86 TND 2.51

43.02%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$39.4K TND 115.1K

-45.17%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$32.5K TND 95.0K

-30.73%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$41.23 TND 120

71.09%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$8.56 TND 24.98

59.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$19.65 TND 57.3

-11.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$15.49 TND 45.20

166.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$12.88 TND 37.59

-45.96%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.38 TND 15.69

7.25%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$61.5 TND 179

399.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$1,031 TND 3,007

1317.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$41.15 TND 120

35.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$52.4 TND 153

-49.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$96.4 TND 281

-11.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$80.0 TND 233

-9.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$145 TND 422

197.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$104 TND 302

130.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$215 TND 627

280.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$154 TND 451

230.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,029 TND 3,001

92.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$364 TND 1,063

307.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$314 TND 915

97.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.88

-43.69%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Gafsa: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $145 in Gafsa. 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 97% 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 $10.00 in Gafsa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $179 – making Gafsa 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 Gafsa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 49% more than Gafsa, 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 $874 in Gafsa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gafsa, 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 $61.5 in Gafsa. 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 $583 in Gafsa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gafsa costs $583 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 Gafsa. 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.