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 $872 per month in Chiang Mai vs $628 in Sfax, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,005 in Sfax, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,382 in Sfax, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ฿64.5

$3.36 TND 9.67

-40.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.23 ฿584

$19.94 TND 57.4

-8.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ฿245

$3.43 TND 9.89

123.03%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿61.5

$0.72 TND 2.07

166.67%

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

$0.84 ฿26.97

$0.64 TND 1.85

31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.42

$0.23 TND 0.66

56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ฿70.2

$1.50 TND 4.31

46.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿121

$1.89 TND 5.45

100.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.5

$0.54 TND 1.54

203.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.0

$0.18 TND 0.52

800.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.98

$1.54 TND 4.44

-25.32%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿62.2

$1.58 TND 4.56

22.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿511

$11.44 TND 32.94

39.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.5

$5.77 TND 16.62

-46.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿355

$13.43 TND 38.68

-17.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿86.8

$2.16 TND 6.23

25.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿37.80

$2.98 TND 8.58

-60.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.7

$1.05 TND 3.02

62.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.5

$0.69 TND 2.00

133.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.66

$0.74 TND 2.13

87.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.81

$0.71 TND 2.05

61.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.83

$0.52 TND 1.50

36.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.65

$0.33 TND 0.96

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿146

$3.50 TND 10.09

30.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ฿605

$6.86 TND 19.76

175.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$1.10 TND 3.17

65.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

$1.09 TND 3.14

194.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.24

$0.18 TND 0.53

388.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.89 ฿606

$10.00 TND 28.80

88.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.30

$0.30 TND 0.85

370.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿41.71

$0.31 TND 0.88

319.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 ฿263

$7.52 TND 21.65

9.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.29

$0.88 TND 2.53

39.77%

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

$21.2K ฿678.9K

$35.8K TND 103.0K

-40.79%

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

$22.3K ฿715.3K

$34.4K TND 99.1K

-35.18%

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

$69.9 ฿2,240

$45.20 TND 130

54.58%

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

$14.07 ฿451

$9.57 TND 27.55

47.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 ฿567

$15.11 TND 43.50

17.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ฿1,328

$27.00 TND 77.8

53.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿215

$7.42 TND 21.37

-9.84%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ฿184

$4.64 TND 13.36

23.71%

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

$299 ฿9,593

$110 TND 317

171.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿481.2K

$2,460 TND 7,086

510.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,758

$45.58 TND 131

20.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ฿845

$44.60 TND 128

-40.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ฿2,714

$101 TND 290

-15.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,236

$65.6 TND 189

6.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.7K

$188 TND 542

127.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,718

$133 TND 384

80.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.0K

$336 TND 968

141.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.0K

$251 TND 722

98.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.8K

$995 TND 2,867

103.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.9K

$669 TND 1,927

127.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ฿20.5K

$325 TND 936

96.74%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Sfax: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Chiang Mai versus $188 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 97% 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 in Chiang Mai versus $20 in Sfax. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $191 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 39% 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 $1,308 per month in Chiang Mai and $942 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 $299 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 $872 in Chiang Mai and $628 in Sfax, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sfax costs $628 versus $872 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.