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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $574 in Gafsa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $873 in Gafsa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,172 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 36% lower, Gafsa 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$3.96 TND 11.63

-48.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$9.73 TND 28.57

92.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$2.48 TND 7.27

216.94%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$0.58 TND 1.69

250.00%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.49 TND 1.42

63.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.25 TND 0.74

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.72 TND 5.05

24.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.76 TND 8.10

32.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.49 TND 1.44

253.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.13 TND 0.38

1107.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.70 TND 4.97

-29.41%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.07 TND 3.13

84.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$10.48 TND 30.74

54.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.07 TND 17.82

-49.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$11.72 TND 34.40

-7.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.42 TND 4.17

95.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$3.05 TND 8.96

-61.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$0.83 TND 2.44

106.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.77 TND 2.25

106.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.74 TND 2.17

87.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.52 TND 1.54

123.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.47 TND 1.38

40.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.28 TND 0.82

85.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.53 TND 7.44

83.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$6.59 TND 19.34

169.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.28 TND 3.76

39.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.63 TND 4.79

104.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.35 TND 1.04

160.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$11.20 TND 32.86

66.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.29 TND 0.85

386.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.24 TND 0.70

458.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$3.32 TND 9.73

144.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.87 TND 2.55

41.38%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$39.6K TND 116.3K

-45.93%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$31.7K TND 93.2K

-31.25%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$40.04 TND 117

78.15%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$8.50 TND 24.93

64.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$19.09 TND 56.0

-6.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$15.37 TND 45.09

165.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$12.75 TND 37.42

-46.04%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.34 TND 15.67

7.12%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$61.5 TND 181

400.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$1,028 TND 3,018

1327.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$40.48 TND 119

37.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$53.7 TND 158

-51.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$98.2 TND 288

-13.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$81.0 TND 238

-12.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$146 TND 428

189.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$100 TND 294

141.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$216 TND 634

269.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$152 TND 447

232.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$950 TND 2,788

101.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$350 TND 1,026

318.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$304 TND 893

95.53%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Gafsa: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $146 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 96% 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: $244 vs $178 – 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $861 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 $308 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 37% 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 $574 in Gafsa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gafsa costs $574 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 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.