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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $630 in Nabeul, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $994 in Nabeul, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,358 in Nabeul, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 37% more than Nabeul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$3.43 TND 10.04

-42.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$20.70 TND 60.6

-11.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$3.36 TND 9.83

122.62%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$0.72 TND 2.10

180.56%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.60 TND 1.77

41.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.25 TND 0.73

44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.29 TND 3.76

65.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$1.73 TND 5.06

107.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.51 TND 1.48

223.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.18 TND 0.52

772.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.16 TND 3.38

2.59%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.63 TND 4.76

19.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$11.19 TND 32.75

44.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.78 TND 16.92

-48.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$12.61 TND 36.90

-13.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.96 TND 5.75

38.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$3.07 TND 8.98

-61.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$0.83 TND 2.42

103.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.62 TND 1.81

158.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.63 TND 1.83

119.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.48 TND 1.40

150.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.52 TND 1.54

28.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.33 TND 0.97

69.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.32 TND 9.70

39.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$5.15 TND 15.06

242.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.13 TND 3.32

64.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.11 TND 3.25

197.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.82 TND 2.40

7.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$10.05 TND 29.40

92.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.30 TND 0.88

353.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.31 TND 0.90

332.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$7.26 TND 21.26

13.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.84 TND 2.47

45.24%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$35.1K TND 102.7K

-39.19%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$34.3K TND 100.3K

-34.29%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$46.49 TND 136

52.01%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$9.35 TND 27.35

50.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$15.05 TND 44.04

16.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$28.83 TND 84.4

46.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$14.38 TND 42.09

-52.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.48 TND 13.10

32.14%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$85.7 TND 251

259.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$2,455 TND 7,184

506.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$37.82 TND 111

47.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$43.87 TND 128

-40.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$99.7 TND 292

-16.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$65.5 TND 192

7.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$232 TND 679

86.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$159 TND 464

50.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$387 TND 1,132

112.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$278 TND 814

84.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$859 TND 2,514

122.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$802 TND 2,347

82.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$257 TND 752

125.32%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Nabeul: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $232 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 125% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $21.00 in Nabeul. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $180 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 37% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $946 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $85.7 in Nabeul. 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $630 in Nabeul, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nabeul costs $630 versus $861 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.