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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $624 in Nabeul, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,014 in Nabeul, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,404 in Nabeul, rent included.

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

Both Chiang Mai and Nabeul are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Nabeul 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$3.36 TND 9.73

-42.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$20.21 TND 58.5

-7.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$3.40 TND 9.86

130.00%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$0.71 TND 2.06

174.65%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.61 TND 1.76

39.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.25 TND 0.73

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.25 TND 3.62

70.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.67 TND 4.84

123.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.53 TND 1.55

222.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.17 TND 0.50

858.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$1.13 TND 3.27

0.88%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.62 TND 4.70

19.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$11.10 TND 32.13

46.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.66 TND 16.39

-44.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$12.50 TND 36.20

-12.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.05 TND 5.95

34.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$2.96 TND 8.56

-59.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.82 TND 2.36

97.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$0.64 TND 1.87

148.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$0.64 TND 1.85

118.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$0.48 TND 1.39

143.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.48 TND 1.39

37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.31 TND 0.90

70.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.43 TND 9.93

36.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$5.04 TND 14.60

270.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.10 TND 3.19

63.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.06 TND 3.08

204.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.89 TND 2.57

1.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$10.03 TND 29.05

91.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$0.30 TND 0.87

370.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.31 TND 0.89

316.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$7.42 TND 21.50

5.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$0.82 TND 2.39

54.88%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$34.9K TND 101.2K

-39.09%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$34.2K TND 99.1K

-35.10%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$46.25 TND 134

49.34%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$9.86 TND 28.54

42.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$15.02 TND 43.51

19.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$29.10 TND 84.3

41.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$14.15 TND 40.98

-50.81%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.45 TND 12.89

33.03%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$86.3 TND 250

246.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$2,502 TND 7,247

497.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$38.24 TND 111

43.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$44.82 TND 130

-40.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$101 TND 293

-15.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$64.8 TND 188

8.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$234 TND 677

83.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$160 TND 463

48.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$377 TND 1,092

112.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$285 TND 825

80.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$873 TND 2,529

126.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$817 TND 2,366

80.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$270 TND 783

128.30%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Nabeul: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $234 in Nabeul. 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 128% 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 $20.00 in Nabeul. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $178 in Nabeul – so Nabeul 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 Nabeul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 39% more than Nabeul, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $936 in Nabeul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nabeul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $86.3 in Nabeul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $624 in Nabeul, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nabeul costs $624 versus $866 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 Nabeul. 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.