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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $484 in Kasserine, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $764 in Kasserine, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,044 in Kasserine, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 79% more than Kasserine, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Kasserine are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Kasserine 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$1.68 TND 4.86

15.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$10.85 TND 31.43

71.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$5.14 TND 14.90

52.14%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$0.78 TND 2.26

150.00%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.60 TND 1.72

41.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.25 TND 0.73

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$0.88 TND 2.54

142.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.04 TND 3.01

258.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.46 TND 1.35

271.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.11 TND 0.32

1381.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$1.20 TND 3.48

-5.00%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.53 TND 4.44

26.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$10.68 TND 30.93

51.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$2.59 TND 7.50

20.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$13.67 TND 39.58

-20.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.08 TND 6.01

32.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$3.61 TND 10.46

-66.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.12 TND 3.25

44.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$0.70 TND 2.01

127.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$0.71 TND 2.06

97.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$0.63 TND 1.83

85.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.43 TND 1.25

53.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.26 TND 0.75

103.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.47 TND 10.04

35.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$7.55 TND 21.88

147.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.30 TND 3.75

38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.62 TND 4.69

99.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.19 TND 0.56

373.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$10.26 TND 29.72

87.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$0.21 TND 0.61

571.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.31 TND 0.89

316.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$3.48 TND 10.07

125.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$0.76 TND 2.20

67.11%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$38.5K TND 111.6K

-44.78%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$37.3K TND 108.0K

-40.43%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$59.5 TND 172

16.12%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$8.33 TND 24.13

69.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$17.13 TND 49.61

5.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$20.63 TND 59.7

99.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$12.78 TND 37.01

-45.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.52 TND 15.98

7.25%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$20.61 TND 59.7

1350.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$3,288 TND 9,522

354.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$45.15 TND 131

21.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$30.20 TND 87.5

-11.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$41.05 TND 119

107.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$50.6 TND 147

39.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$102 TND 297

317.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$68.7 TND 199

245.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$168 TND 487

376.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$117 TND 338

341.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,027 TND 2,973

92.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$560 TND 1,621

163.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$303 TND 877

103.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.96

-54.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kasserine: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $102 in Kasserine. 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 104% 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 $11.00 in Kasserine. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $176 – making Kasserine 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 Kasserine: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 79% more than Kasserine, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $726 in Kasserine. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $20.61 in Kasserine. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $484 in Kasserine, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kasserine costs $484 versus $866 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 Kasserine. 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.