Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sousse

For one person, living is cheaper in Sousse: $779 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Sousse
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Sousse Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Sousse

🇹🇳 Tunisia

$779

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Sousse

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Sousse actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $779 in Sousse, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Sousse $779

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,261 in Sousse, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Sousse $1,261

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,743 in Sousse, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Sousse $1,743

Chiang Mai costs about 19% more than Sousse, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chiang Mai and Sousse are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Sousse 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$4.90 TND 14.67

-53.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$23.60 TND 70.7

-16.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$6.75 TND 20.22

-16.89%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$1.10 TND 3.29

50.91%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$0.73 TND 2.19

-4.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.38 TND 1.12

-18.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$1.72 TND 5.14

40.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$1.66 TND 4.98

123.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$0.44 TND 1.32

343.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$0.13 TND 0.40

984.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$1.24 TND 3.71

5.65%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.61 TND 4.82

35.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$13.70 TND 41.05

21.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$5.80 TND 17.37

-52.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$13.98 TND 41.87

-34.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$2.02 TND 6.05

18.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$3.49 TND 10.46

-70.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.02 TND 3.07

59.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$0.69 TND 2.06

117.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$0.87 TND 2.62

48.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$0.69 TND 2.05

60.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$0.43 TND 1.30

67.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$0.33 TND 0.97

60.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$3.76 TND 11.25

14.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$5.98 TND 17.90

200.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$1.03 TND 3.08

53.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$1.13 TND 3.39

151.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$0.33 TND 0.99

160.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$9.88 TND 29.60

439.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$0.34 TND 1.03

255.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$0.69 TND 2.08

-17.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$4.00 TND 11.98

-41.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$0.81 TND 2.43

77.78%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$40.3K TND 120.6K

-48.51%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$36.8K TND 110.1K

-27.12%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$75.1 TND 225

-17.03%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$13.68 TND 40.97

-11.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$19.58 TND 58.6

1.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$28.10 TND 84.2

31.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

$26.30 TND 78.8

-85.63%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$6.54 TND 19.59

-0.61%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$92.6 TND 277

756.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$3,228 TND 9,667

358.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$52.6 TND 158

2.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$70.9 TND 212

-65.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$149 TND 447

-39.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$99.4 TND 298

-28.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$241 TND 721

89.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$161 TND 483

84.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$512 TND 1,533

77.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$346 TND 1,037

59.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$978 TND 2,929

97.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$621 TND 1,859

132.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$380 TND 1,139

55.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.4

-51.14%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Sousse: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Sousse

$161 20.7% 45.9% $137

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Sousse

$197 25.3% 16.5% $39

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Sousse

$167 21.5% 54.8% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Sousse

$108 13.9% 14.8% $14

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Sousse

$89 11.4% 13.2% $10

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Sousse

$15 1.9% 75.3% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Sousse

$41 5.3% 17.7% $8.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $241 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 55% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $24.00 in Sousse. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Chiang Mai vs $197 in Sousse – so Sousse wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇹🇳 Sousse

🕒 Local time

22:29 10:29 PM

16:29 4:29 PM

6 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

221,530

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Tunisian Dinar TND د.ت

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 TND = 0.334 USD

1 TND = 0.297 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TND, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 2.99 TND (1 TND = 0.334 USD). 1 EUR = 3.37 TND (1 TND = 0.297 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Sousse 8,660 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Sousse

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 19% more than Sousse, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,168 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 $793 per month in Chiang Mai and $92.6 in Sousse. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sousse, where all-in costs run around $779, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Sousse it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sousse costs $779 versus $925 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.