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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $614 in Sfax, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $998 in Sfax, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,382 in Sfax, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 41% 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 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.32 TND 9.58

-41.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$20.66 TND 59.7

-9.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$3.42 TND 9.90

128.65%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$0.76 TND 2.18

156.58%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.64 TND 1.86

32.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.25 TND 0.72

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.56 TND 4.51

36.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.89 TND 5.47

97.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.54 TND 1.57

216.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.18 TND 0.52

805.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.55 TND 4.47

-26.45%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.66 TND 4.79

16.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$11.33 TND 32.74

43.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.62 TND 16.24

-44.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$13.48 TND 38.95

-19.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.22 TND 6.41

23.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.97 TND 8.60

-59.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.02 TND 2.93

58.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.70 TND 2.02

127.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.80 TND 2.32

75.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.75 TND 2.18

56.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.49 TND 1.41

34.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.31 TND 0.88

70.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.48 TND 10.05

34.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$6.69 TND 19.32

178.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.11 TND 3.20

62.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.10 TND 3.19

193.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.18 TND 0.53

400.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$10.29 TND 29.74

86.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.30 TND 0.86

370.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.30 TND 0.88

330.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$7.31 TND 21.13

7.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.83 TND 2.41

53.01%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$35.1K TND 101.4K

-39.38%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$34.1K TND 98.7K

-34.95%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$46.04 TND 133

50.02%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$9.67 TND 27.96

45.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$14.90 TND 43.05

20.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$27.11 TND 78.3

51.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$7.31 TND 21.14

-4.79%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.51 TND 13.03

31.26%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$106 TND 307

181.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$2,494 TND 7,207

499.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$44.42 TND 128

23.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$43.53 TND 126

-38.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$100 TND 289

-15.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$65.8 TND 190

7.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$187 TND 542

128.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$133 TND 384

78.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$333 TND 962

140.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$248 TND 718

107.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,031 TND 2,980

91.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$663 TND 1,915

122.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$322 TND 931

91.62%

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 Sfax: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 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 92% 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 $21.00 in Sfax. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $190 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 41% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $921 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 $106 in Sfax. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $614 in Sfax, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sfax costs $614 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 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.