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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $562 in Kairouan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $869 in Kairouan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,176 in Kairouan, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 52% more than Kairouan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$2.39 TND 7.01

-14.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$8.64 TND 25.36

116.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$3.33 TND 9.77

136.04%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$0.77 TND 2.25

163.64%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.61 TND 1.78

31.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.13 TND 0.38

169.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.49 TND 4.38

43.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$1.91 TND 5.60

92.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.49 TND 1.45

253.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.08 TND 0.23

1862.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.55 TND 4.55

-22.58%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.50 TND 4.39

31.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$11.35 TND 33.31

43.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.61 TND 16.47

-45.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$11.94 TND 35.03

-9.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.18 TND 6.39

27.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.30 TND 6.76

-49.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.00 TND 2.94

71.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.74 TND 2.16

114.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.69 TND 2.03

101.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.73 TND 2.13

58.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.49 TND 1.42

34.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.27 TND 0.80

92.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$3.35 TND 9.84

38.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$6.63 TND 19.47

168.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.14 TND 3.35

57.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.07 TND 3.14

212.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.33 TND 0.97

175.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$10.13 TND 29.74

84.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.31 TND 0.92

354.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.33 TND 0.98

306.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$7.38 TND 21.66

9.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.79 TND 2.31

55.70%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$36.3K TND 106.4K

-40.88%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$34.5K TND 101.2K

-36.73%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$46.19 TND 136

54.43%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$9.78 TND 28.71

43.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$14.61 TND 42.88

22.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$23.96 TND 70.3

70.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$12.48 TND 36.61

-44.87%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$4.63 TND 13.58

23.54%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$107 TND 313

189.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$2,475 TND 7,263

493.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$23.83 TND 69.9

134.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$44.37 TND 130

-41.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$47.47 TND 139

78.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$63.8 TND 187

11.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$115 TND 339

266.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$134 TND 392

81.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$373 TND 1,093

114.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$274 TND 803

85.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$968 TND 2,842

98.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$568 TND 1,668

157.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$326 TND 956

82.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.6

-63.24%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kairouan: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $115 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 83% 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 $9.00 in Kairouan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $178 – 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 52% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $842 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $107 in Kairouan. 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $562 in Kairouan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kairouan costs $562 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 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.