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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $594 in Kairouan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $944 in Kairouan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,294 in Kairouan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 57% more than Kairouan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Kairouan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Kairouan 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$2.68 TND 7.76

-22.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$16.29 TND 47.25

20.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$5.01 TND 14.53

13.17%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$0.72 TND 2.08

151.39%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.60 TND 1.75

28.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.28 TND 0.81

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.65 TND 4.80

33.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.03 TND 5.90

86.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$0.46 TND 1.33

345.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.08 TND 0.24

1787.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.38 TND 4.02

1.45%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.58 TND 4.59

43.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$12.75 TND 36.99

26.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$5.70 TND 16.53

-49.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$12.12 TND 35.16

-22.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$1.81 TND 5.25

48.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.24 TND 6.50

-51.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.11 TND 3.22

45.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$0.76 TND 2.21

92.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.67 TND 1.94

91.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.79 TND 2.28

34.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.56 TND 1.61

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.27 TND 0.79

96.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.35 TND 9.71

26.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$6.94 TND 20.14

163.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.15 TND 3.34

41.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.11 TND 3.22

161.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.33 TND 0.95

166.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$10.27 TND 29.78

423.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.32 TND 0.94

265.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.33 TND 0.95

75.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$7.57 TND 21.94

-68.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.81 TND 2.35

79.01%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$37.6K TND 108.9K

-44.04%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$36.4K TND 105.5K

-27.36%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$46.09 TND 134

38.10%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$9.69 TND 28.11

33.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$15.15 TND 43.93

35.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$24.20 TND 70.2

61.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$14.18 TND 41.13

-72.36%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$4.57 TND 13.25

43.98%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$98.4 TND 285

696.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$2,464 TND 7,148

495.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$24.04 TND 69.7

129.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$37.01 TND 107

-33.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$47.89 TND 139

96.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$68.8 TND 200

7.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$118 TND 343

314.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$158 TND 459

82.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$371 TND 1,076

140.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$274 TND 794

90.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$978 TND 2,836

101.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$632 TND 1,832

128.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$337 TND 977

78.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

13.6

-59.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kairouan: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $118 in Kairouan. 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 79% 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 $16.00 in Kairouan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $182 – making Kairouan 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 Kairouan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 57% more than Kairouan, 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $891 in Kairouan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $98.4 in Kairouan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kairouan, where all-in costs run around $594, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Kairouan 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. Kairouan costs $594 versus $932 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 Kairouan. 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.