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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $593 in Kelibia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $938 in Kelibia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,282 in Kelibia, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 46% more than Kelibia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Kelibia are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Kelibia 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿65.0

$2.69 TND 7.80

-26.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿619

$13.81 TND 40.12

36.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿255

$3.44 TND 9.98

125.29%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿63.2

$0.60 TND 1.75

220.00%

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

$0.79 ฿26.07

$0.52 TND 1.52

51.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.74

$0.23 TND 0.66

56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.9

$1.55 TND 4.51

42.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$1.94 TND 5.63

88.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿54.4

$0.45 TND 1.31

266.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.7

$0.18 TND 0.51

805.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.28

$1.53 TND 4.46

-22.22%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.8

$1.65 TND 4.78

21.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿526

$11.41 TND 33.14

40.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$5.85 TND 16.98

-48.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿357

$13.56 TND 39.38

-19.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.9

$1.17 TND 3.39

135.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.83

$2.65 TND 7.69

-55.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.0

$0.78 TND 2.25

110.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.0

$0.66 TND 1.93

130.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.59

$0.66 TND 1.93

109.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.25

$0.76 TND 2.21

56.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.11

$0.52 TND 1.52

34.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.28 TND 0.82

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿151

$3.41 TND 9.89

34.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿545

$5.02 TND 14.59

229.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.2

$1.10 TND 3.20

66.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿105

$1.06 TND 3.09

201.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.87

$0.32 TND 0.94

175.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿616

$10.12 TND 29.41

84.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$0.31 TND 0.91

338.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.12

$0.30 TND 0.88

346.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿258

$7.44 TND 21.61

5.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿40.35

$0.89 TND 2.57

38.20%

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

$21.6K ฿711.8K

$36.0K TND 104.6K

-39.92%

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

$22.5K ฿742.2K

$34.8K TND 101.0K

-35.15%

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

$70.5 ฿2,322

$44.91 TND 130

57.07%

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

$13.68 ฿450

$9.66 TND 28.06

41.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿574

$14.56 TND 42.30

19.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,361

$16.28 TND 47.31

153.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

$12.84 TND 37.31

-45.79%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿190

$3.47 TND 10.07

66.28%

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

$307 ฿10.1K

$108 TND 314

183.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿481.0K

$2,531 TND 7,353

477.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,837

$44.58 TND 130

25.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿863

$44.80 TND 130

-41.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,823

$103 TND 298

-16.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,378

$64.4 TND 187

12.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.1K

$198 TND 576

116.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,857

$136 TND 396

75.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.9K

$373 TND 1,082

119.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.8K

$266 TND 773

91.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿65.3K

$1,021 TND 2,967

94.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.9K

$635 TND 1,844

133.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.4K

$243 TND 706

154.76%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kelibia: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $198 in Kelibia. 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 155% 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 $14.00 in Kelibia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $178 – making Kelibia 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 Kelibia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 46% more than Kelibia, 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 $890 in Kelibia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kelibia, 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 $108 in Kelibia. 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 $593 in Kelibia, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kelibia costs $593 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 Kelibia. 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.