Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Menzel Temime

For one person, living is cheaper in Menzel Temime: $714 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Menzel Temime, Tunisia
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Menzel Temime
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$714
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Menzel Temime

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Menzel Temime actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $714 in Menzel Temime, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $936
  • Menzel Temime $714

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,120 in Menzel Temime, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,457
  • Menzel Temime $1,120

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,526 in Menzel Temime, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,979
  • Menzel Temime $1,526

Chiang Mai costs about 31% more than Menzel Temime, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Chiang Mai and Menzel Temime are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Menzel Temime 48% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Menzel Temime
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.24 ฿75.6
$5.30 TND 15.91
-57.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.00 ฿641
$16.46 TND 49.45
15.43%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.55 ฿187
$4.82 TND 14.47
15.15%
Cappuccino
$1.67 ฿56.5
$1.53 TND 4.58
9.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.55
$0.61 TND 1.84
4.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.31
$0.25 TND 0.75
24.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿79.6
$1.69 TND 5.08
39.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿124
$1.66 TND 4.99
120.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Menzel Temime
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.8
$0.44 TND 1.32
343.18%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 ฿48.48
$0.16 TND 0.49
800.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ฿45.04
$1.83 TND 5.48
-27.32%
Eggs
$2.28 ฿77.1
$1.50 TND 4.50
52.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.45 ฿555
$14.61 TND 43.89
12.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.78 ฿93.9
$6.28 TND 18.85
-55.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.31 ฿314
$14.70 TND 44.16
-36.67%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ฿79.4
$1.61 TND 4.85
45.96%
Banana (1kg)
$0.97 ฿32.80
$4.64 TND 13.94
-79.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 ฿53.9
$1.35 TND 4.06
18.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$0.93 TND 2.80
61.29%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿43.12
$1.03 TND 3.11
24.27%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 ฿37.19
$0.87 TND 2.61
26.44%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 ฿23.82
$0.45 TND 1.35
57.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.37
$0.30 TND 0.92
63.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.14 ฿140
$3.36 TND 10.10
23.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.52 ฿591
$4.96 TND 14.89
253.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 ฿54.5
$1.23 TND 3.69
30.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿94.0
$1.37 TND 4.13
102.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Menzel Temime
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 ฿29.31
$0.35 TND 1.06
148.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.1 ฿1,826
$9.93 TND 29.84
444.71%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.16 ฿39.06
$0.31 TND 0.93
274.19%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 ฿17.80
$0.33 TND 0.99
60.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ฿81.8
$4.14 TND 12.42
-41.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.90
$0.82 TND 2.45
76.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K ฿710.7K
$40.3K TND 121.0K
-47.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿909.3K
$36.3K TND 109.0K
-25.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Menzel Temime
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.2 ฿2,098
$43.90 TND 132
41.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.17 ฿411
$10.61 TND 31.86
14.70%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.12 ฿679
$19.97 TND 60.0
0.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Menzel Temime
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.31 ฿1,259
$26.44 TND 79.5
41.11%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.77 ฿127
$12.52 TND 37.60
-69.89%
Cinema Ticket
$6.49 ฿219
$3.39 TND 10.19
91.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Menzel Temime
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$736 ฿24.8K
$62.2 TND 187
1084.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿498.3K
$1,956 TND 5,878
654.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Menzel Temime
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 ฿1,801
$48.24 TND 145
10.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.64 ฿831
$67.2 TND 202
-63.33%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.5 ฿3,087
$108 TND 324
-15.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.9 ฿2,428
$66.6 TND 200
8.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Menzel Temime
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$482 ฿16.3K
$207 TND 620
133.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ฿10.4K
$158 TND 475
95.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 ฿33.9K
$375 TND 1,125
168.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$633 ฿21.4K
$270 TND 810
135.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,363 ฿79.8K
$970 TND 2,915
143.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,589 ฿53.6K
$625 TND 1,878
154.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Menzel Temime
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$590 ฿19.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
11
-49.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Menzel Temime: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$309
Menzel Temime
$158 48.8% $151
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$234
Menzel Temime
$214 8.8% $21
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$109
Menzel Temime
$130 20.1% $22
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Menzel Temime
$74 21.2% $20
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$78
Menzel Temime
$90 16.4% $13
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Menzel Temime
$13 78.3% $48
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Menzel Temime
$33 33.9% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $207 in Menzel Temime. 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 in Chiang Mai versus $16 in Menzel Temime. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $214 – making Menzel Temime the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇹🇳 Menzel Temime
🕒 Local time
17:48 5:48 PM
11:48 11:48 AM
6 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
65,645
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

TND, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3 TND (1 TND = 0.333 USD). 1 EUR = 3.35 TND (1 TND = 0.298 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Menzel Temime 8,600 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Menzel Temime

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Menzel Temime: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Menzel Temime?
Chiang Mai costs about 31% more than Menzel Temime, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Menzel Temime?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,070 in Menzel Temime. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Menzel Temime?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Menzel Temime, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $207 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Menzel Temime?
Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $62 in Menzel Temime. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Menzel Temime?
Groceries cost about 10% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Menzel Temime – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Menzel Temime?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
For expats, Menzel Temime is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 24% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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