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 $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $578 in Kelibia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Chiang Mai vs $930 in Kelibia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,816 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,283 in Kelibia, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 47% more than Kelibia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Kelibia are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Kelibia 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.2

$2.78 TND 8.20

-26.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿629

$13.78 TND 40.72

35.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿263

$3.30 TND 9.74

137.58%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿64.7

$0.56 TND 1.66

244.64%

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

$0.83 ฿27.92

$0.49 TND 1.45

69.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.77

$0.23 TND 0.67

52.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.6

$1.55 TND 4.58

43.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$1.93 TND 5.70

96.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.3

$0.41 TND 1.21

302.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.1

$0.19 TND 0.55

715.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.69

$1.48 TND 4.38

-20.27%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿67.7

$1.60 TND 4.72

25.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿543

$11.32 TND 33.45

42.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$5.66 TND 16.74

-46.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿364

$13.37 TND 39.51

-18.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.0

$1.17 TND 3.45

129.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.03

$2.78 TND 8.23

-56.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.6

$0.79 TND 2.35

106.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.3

$0.65 TND 1.93

135.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.67 TND 1.97

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.75

$0.71 TND 2.11

70.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.57

$0.49 TND 1.43

42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.65

$0.26 TND 0.76

103.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿157

$3.41 TND 10.07

37.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿595

$5.00 TND 14.77

254.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.0

$1.10 TND 3.25

68.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$1.07 TND 3.15

200.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.93

$0.35 TND 1.03

154.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿630

$10.05 TND 29.68

86.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.27

$0.29 TND 0.85

386.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.40

$0.31 TND 0.91

316.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿262

$7.41 TND 21.90

5.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.47

$0.84 TND 2.50

53.57%

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

$21.8K ฿731.4K

$35.8K TND 105.8K

-39.21%

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

$21.7K ฿728.8K

$35.4K TND 104.5K

-38.70%

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

$70.0 ฿2,351

$45.98 TND 136

52.20%

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

$14.19 ฿477

$9.48 TND 28.01

49.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿585

$15.08 TND 44.56

15.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,399

$16.05 TND 47.42

159.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿231

$12.50 TND 36.93

-44.88%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿194

$3.42 TND 10.09

69.01%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$110 TND 326

171.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿487.9K

$2,501 TND 7,390

480.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,860

$43.95 TND 130

25.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿884

$43.34 TND 128

-39.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,851

$99.7 TND 294

-14.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,368

$63.9 TND 189

10.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.3K

$196 TND 580

116.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,898

$138 TND 407

70.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.0K

$371 TND 1,096

116.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.3K

$269 TND 794

91.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿64.7K

$966 TND 2,855

99.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.7K

$640 TND 1,892

126.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.7K

$240 TND 708

144.66%

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 20, 2026

Last update for Kelibia: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Chiang Mai versus $196 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 145% 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: $242 vs $176 – 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 47% 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 $1,271 per month in Chiang Mai and $867 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 $300 per month in Chiang Mai and $110 in Kelibia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% 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 $847 in Chiang Mai and $578 in Kelibia, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kelibia costs $578 versus $847 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.