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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $607 in Sfax, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $984 in Sfax, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,360 in Sfax, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 42% more than Sfax, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Sfax are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Sfax 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$3.37 TND 9.85

-41.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$20.38 TND 59.6

-9.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$3.30 TND 9.67

126.67%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$0.78 TND 2.27

158.97%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.64 TND 1.89

32.81%

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

$1.56 TND 4.55

37.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$1.92 TND 5.61

86.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.53 TND 1.56

211.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.16 TND 0.46

881.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.50 TND 4.38

-20.67%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.58 TND 4.63

22.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$11.15 TND 32.62

45.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.76 TND 16.84

-48.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$13.29 TND 38.88

-17.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.23 TND 6.53

21.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$2.95 TND 8.64

-60.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.05 TND 3.08

60.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.69 TND 2.03

131.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.80 TND 2.35

72.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.77 TND 2.25

55.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.51 TND 1.50

31.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.31 TND 0.90

80.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.60 TND 10.55

28.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$6.65 TND 19.46

164.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.10 TND 3.22

69.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.05 TND 3.08

214.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.21 TND 0.61

319.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$10.10 TND 29.56

91.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.32 TND 0.95

325.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.33 TND 0.97

306.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$7.59 TND 22.22

8.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.82 TND 2.40

48.78%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$36.3K TND 106.2K

-41.15%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$35.0K TND 102.5K

-35.72%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$45.93 TND 134

53.86%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$9.42 TND 27.57

49.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$14.56 TND 42.61

20.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$27.04 TND 79.1

55.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$7.49 TND 21.92

-8.14%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.67 TND 13.68

26.77%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$110 TND 322

180.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$2,482 TND 7,262

499.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$44.06 TND 129

26.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$44.10 TND 129

-40.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$101 TND 297

-18.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$65.1 TND 190

8.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$187 TND 546

131.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$134 TND 391

78.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$336 TND 984

144.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$249 TND 729

105.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,017 TND 2,977

88.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$647 TND 1,893

126.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$327 TND 957

77.07%

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 Sfax: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $187 in Sfax. 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 77% 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 $20.00 in Sfax. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $188 in Sfax – so Sfax 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 Sfax: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 42% more than Sfax, 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 $910 in Sfax. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sfax, 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 $110 in Sfax. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $607 in Sfax, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sfax costs $607 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 Sfax. 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.