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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $710 in Sousse, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,145 in Sousse, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,580 in Sousse, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 22% more than Sousse, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Sousse are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Sousse 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$3.84 TND 11.10

-49.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$23.99 TND 69.3

-22.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$5.18 TND 14.97

50.97%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$0.96 TND 2.78

103.13%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.70 TND 2.04

21.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.29 TND 0.83

20.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.17 TND 3.38

82.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.60 TND 4.62

133.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.50 TND 1.45

242.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.18 TND 0.52

805.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.32 TND 3.83

-13.64%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.74 TND 5.03

10.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$11.93 TND 34.49

35.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.57 TND 16.09

-43.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$13.79 TND 39.85

-20.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.56 TND 4.52

76.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$3.20 TND 9.24

-62.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.92 TND 2.66

76.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.63 TND 1.81

152.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.65 TND 1.88

115.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.64 TND 1.84

82.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.44 TND 1.27

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.32 TND 0.93

65.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.52 TND 10.18

33.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$5.16 TND 14.92

261.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.19 TND 3.44

51.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.08 TND 3.13

199.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.30 TND 0.88

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$10.08 TND 29.12

90.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.32 TND 0.92

340.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.48 TND 1.40

168.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.95 TND 17.19

31.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.88 TND 2.54

44.32%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$47.1K TND 136.0K

-54.79%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$35.6K TND 102.7K

-37.52%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$65.4 TND 189

5.68%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$11.03 TND 31.89

27.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$18.56 TND 53.6

-3.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$27.23 TND 78.7

50.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$26.80 TND 77.4

-74.03%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.61 TND 19.11

-10.44%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$105 TND 304

183.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$3,235 TND 9,349

362.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$41.75 TND 121

31.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$60.2 TND 174

-55.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$150 TND 432

-43.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$81.7 TND 236

-13.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$244 TND 704

75.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$167 TND 482

42.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$437 TND 1,263

83.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$324 TND 938

58.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,001 TND 2,893

97.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$648 TND 1,872

127.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$393 TND 1,136

57.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-58.33%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sousse: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $244 in Sousse. 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 57% 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 $24.00 in Sousse. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $185 in Sousse – so Sousse 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 Sousse: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 22% more than Sousse, 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 $1,066 in Sousse. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sousse, 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 $105 in Sousse. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% 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 $710 in Sousse, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sousse costs $710 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 Sousse. 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.