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 $872 per month in Chiang Mai vs $728 in Sousse, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,171 in Sousse, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,613 in Sousse, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 20% 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 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ฿64.5

$4.01 TND 11.56

-49.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.23 ฿584

$23.40 TND 67.4

-22.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ฿245

$5.10 TND 14.68

50.00%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿61.5

$0.90 TND 2.60

113.33%

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

$0.84 ฿26.97

$0.65 TND 1.87

29.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.42

$0.29 TND 0.83

24.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ฿70.2

$1.20 TND 3.47

82.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿121

$1.58 TND 4.55

139.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.5

$0.50 TND 1.43

228.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.0

$0.18 TND 0.51

800.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.98

$1.32 TND 3.80

-12.88%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿62.2

$1.71 TND 4.93

13.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿511

$12.34 TND 35.54

29.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.5

$5.67 TND 16.32

-45.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿355

$13.91 TND 40.06

-20.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿86.8

$1.58 TND 4.54

71.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿37.80

$3.07 TND 8.85

-61.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.7

$0.97 TND 2.80

76.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.5

$0.58 TND 1.66

177.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.66

$0.67 TND 1.92

107.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.81

$0.63 TND 1.82

82.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.83

$0.40 TND 1.15

77.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.65

$0.30 TND 0.86

83.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿146

$3.58 TND 10.32

27.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ฿605

$5.34 TND 15.37

253.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$1.14 TND 3.28

59.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

$1.08 TND 3.12

197.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.24

$0.31 TND 0.89

183.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.89 ฿606

$10.24 TND 29.50

84.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.30

$0.34 TND 0.99

314.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿41.71

$0.49 TND 1.41

165.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 ฿263

$6.08 TND 17.50

34.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.29

$0.89 TND 2.58

38.20%

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

$21.2K ฿678.9K

$46.6K TND 134.3K

-54.58%

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

$22.3K ฿715.3K

$36.6K TND 105.4K

-39.05%

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

$69.9 ฿2,240

$64.8 TND 187

7.87%

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

$14.07 ฿451

$10.93 TND 31.47

28.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 ฿567

$18.30 TND 52.7

-3.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ฿1,328

$27.01 TND 77.8

53.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿215

$26.81 TND 77.2

-75.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ฿184

$6.33 TND 18.24

-9.32%

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

$299 ฿9,593

$104 TND 301

186.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿481.2K

$3,187 TND 9,178

370.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,758

$42.16 TND 121

30.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ฿845

$61.6 TND 177

-57.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ฿2,714

$150 TND 432

-43.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,236

$82.0 TND 236

-14.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.7K

$248 TND 715

72.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,718

$163 TND 470

47.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.0K

$431 TND 1,242

87.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.0K

$329 TND 946

51.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.8K

$1,007 TND 2,901

100.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.9K

$655 TND 1,886

132.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ฿20.5K

$390 TND 1,123

63.91%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Sousse: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Chiang Mai versus $248 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 64% 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 $23 in Sousse. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $186 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 20% 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 $1,308 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,092 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 $104 in Sousse. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% 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 $728 in Sousse, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sousse costs $728 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 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.