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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $669 in Manouba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,059 in Manouba, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,450 in Manouba, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 39% more than Manouba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Manouba are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Manouba 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$3.40 TND 9.85

-38.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$20.51 TND 59.5

-4.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$6.23 TND 18.06

-8.99%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.11 TND 3.23

63.06%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.66 TND 1.91

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.26 TND 0.74

34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.68 TND 4.86

31.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.38 TND 6.92

59.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$0.51 TND 1.49

301.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.25 TND 0.73

504.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.35 TND 3.93

3.70%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.61 TND 4.68

40.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$10.39 TND 30.15

55.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$5.69 TND 16.52

-49.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$14.43 TND 41.85

-34.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$1.87 TND 5.42

43.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$3.26 TND 9.47

-66.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.11 TND 3.21

45.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$0.72 TND 2.09

102.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.84 TND 2.44

52.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.66 TND 1.90

60.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.53 TND 1.54

35.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.31 TND 0.90

70.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.67 TND 10.66

15.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$6.80 TND 19.73

168.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.21 TND 3.51

34.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.07 TND 3.11

171.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.36 TND 1.03

144.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$10.47 TND 30.37

413.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.30 TND 0.87

290.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.34 TND 0.99

70.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$1.82 TND 5.29

31.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.84 TND 2.44

72.62%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$37.4K TND 108.4K

-43.77%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$35.5K TND 102.9K

-25.51%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$46.62 TND 135

36.53%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$9.00 TND 26.10

43.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$21.15 TND 61.3

-2.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$27.49 TND 79.7

41.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$13.98 TND 40.55

-71.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$5.60 TND 16.23

17.50%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$99.3 TND 288

689.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$2,561 TND 7,427

473.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$43.03 TND 125

28.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$36.28 TND 105

-31.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$112 TND 324

-15.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$68.2 TND 198

8.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$215 TND 625

127.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$161 TND 466

79.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$376 TND 1,090

137.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$281 TND 815

85.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$996 TND 2,888

98.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$641 TND 1,858

125.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.28

-45.82%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Manouba: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $215 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $21.00 in Manouba. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $191 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 39% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,003 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $99.3 in Manouba. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Manouba, where all-in costs run around $669, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Manouba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Manouba costs $669 versus $932 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.