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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $651 in Manouba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $995 in Manouba, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,339 in Manouba, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 33% more than Manouba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Manouba are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Manouba 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$3.33 TND 9.70

-40.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$20.05 TND 58.5

-6.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$4.94 TND 14.40

56.88%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.03 TND 3.00

86.41%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.64 TND 1.88

23.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.25 TND 0.73

44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.48 TND 4.31

49.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.44 TND 7.11

50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.46 TND 1.35

258.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.18 TND 0.53

805.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.48 TND 4.32

-19.59%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.48 TND 4.31

35.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$10.69 TND 31.19

49.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$5.81 TND 16.94

-47.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$13.37 TND 39.00

-18.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.09 TND 6.09

32.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.93 TND 8.54

-59.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.01 TND 2.95

62.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.74 TND 2.15

105.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.69 TND 2.02

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.60 TND 1.75

98.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.43 TND 1.26

62.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.29 TND 0.84

93.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$3.30 TND 9.62

38.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$5.09 TND 14.86

225.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.09 TND 3.17

67.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.05 TND 3.07

204.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.35 TND 1.04

151.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$10.01 TND 29.20

87.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.32 TND 0.95

325.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.33 TND 0.97

306.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$3.48 TND 10.16

125.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.86 TND 2.51

43.02%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$36.1K TND 105.4K

-40.16%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$35.2K TND 102.7K

-35.96%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$45.69 TND 133

54.39%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$9.48 TND 27.67

44.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$20.95 TND 61.1

-16.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$24.16 TND 70.5

71.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$12.73 TND 37.14

-45.33%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.46 TND 15.92

5.68%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$106 TND 311

188.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$2,477 TND 7,228

489.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$44.60 TND 130

25.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$43.33 TND 126

-39.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$98.1 TND 286

-12.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$66.3 TND 194

8.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$207 TND 604

107.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$156 TND 454

53.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$272 TND 793

200.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$201 TND 587

153.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$934 TND 2,726

112.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$685 TND 1,999

116.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Manouba: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $207 in Manouba. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $20.00 in Manouba. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $181 in Manouba – so Manouba wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Manouba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 33% more than Manouba, 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 $977 in Manouba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Manouba, 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 $106 in Manouba. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $651 in Manouba, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Manouba costs $651 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 Manouba. 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.