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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $630 in Manouba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $965 in Manouba, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,301 in Manouba, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 35% more than Manouba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Manouba are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Manouba 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$3.46 TND 10.16

-41.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿625

$20.39 TND 59.9

-8.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$5.16 TND 15.13

52.33%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.07 TND 3.15

89.72%

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

$0.80 ฿26.66

$0.60 TND 1.76

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.69

$0.23 TND 0.67

52.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.6

$1.54 TND 4.51

38.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.35 TND 6.89

56.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

$0.49 TND 1.44

253.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.16 TND 0.46

881.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.03

$1.51 TND 4.42

-20.53%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.9

$1.48 TND 4.34

33.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿542

$10.41 TND 30.53

55.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.84 TND 17.15

-47.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$13.27 TND 38.94

-18.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.4

$2.04 TND 5.98

35.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.98

$3.00 TND 8.79

-61.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.01 TND 2.96

69.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.68 TND 1.99

133.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.55

$0.69 TND 2.04

101.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.60

$0.60 TND 1.75

93.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.07

$0.47 TND 1.37

40.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.32

$0.29 TND 0.84

79.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$3.46 TND 10.14

34.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿594

$5.19 TND 15.24

242.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.7

$1.15 TND 3.36

55.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$1.07 TND 3.14

212.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.30

$0.36 TND 1.05

152.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿623

$10.19 TND 29.90

82.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.08

$0.32 TND 0.95

340.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.74

$0.33 TND 0.98

306.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$3.36 TND 9.85

141.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.19

$0.83 TND 2.43

48.19%

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

$21.4K ฿715.7K

$35.6K TND 104.4K

-39.73%

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

$21.8K ฿728.7K

$34.5K TND 101.2K

-36.71%

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

$71.3 ฿2,382

$45.81 TND 134

55.71%

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

$14.01 ฿468

$9.76 TND 28.63

43.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿599

$21.43 TND 62.9

-16.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,363

$23.65 TND 69.4

72.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$12.67 TND 37.19

-45.70%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.32 TND 15.62

7.52%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$108 TND 316

185.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿490.1K

$2,474 TND 7,260

493.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,862

$45.12 TND 132

23.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$43.94 TND 129

-40.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,832

$94.9 TND 278

-10.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,370

$63.8 TND 187

11.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$200 TND 587

111.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,095

$152 TND 446

59.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$271 TND 796

194.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$204 TND 599

148.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.1K

$1,071 TND 3,143

79.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.9K

$650 TND 1,907

125.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Manouba: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $200 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 – $244 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 35% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $945 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $108 in Manouba. 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $630 in Manouba, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Manouba costs $630 versus $852 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.