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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $725 in Sousse, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,179 in Sousse, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,632 in Sousse, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 19% more than Sousse, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Sousse are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Sousse 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$4.01 TND 11.74

-51.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$23.39 TND 68.4

-21.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$5.17 TND 15.11

44.68%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$0.89 TND 2.61

126.97%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.67 TND 1.95

26.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.31 TND 0.91

16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.16 TND 3.38

84.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$1.56 TND 4.57

130.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.49 TND 1.44

236.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.17 TND 0.49

823.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.32 TND 3.86

-9.85%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.69 TND 4.94

14.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$12.23 TND 35.77

32.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.60 TND 16.38

-46.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$13.91 TND 40.71

-21.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.58 TND 4.62

71.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$3.22 TND 9.41

-63.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$0.92 TND 2.69

83.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.63 TND 1.84

153.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.70 TND 2.04

97.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.59 TND 1.72

103.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.40 TND 1.18

67.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.32 TND 0.94

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.54 TND 10.36

31.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$5.04 TND 14.74

249.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.18 TND 3.46

57.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.06 TND 3.10

211.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.31 TND 0.90

183.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$10.06 TND 29.43

92.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.32 TND 0.93

325.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.49 TND 1.43

173.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$6.00 TND 17.57

36.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.82 TND 2.40

48.78%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$47.0K TND 137.6K

-54.60%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$36.8K TND 107.6K

-38.73%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$63.7 TND 186

10.99%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$11.06 TND 32.38

26.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$18.22 TND 53.3

-4.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$26.64 TND 77.9

58.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$27.09 TND 79.3

-74.60%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$6.41 TND 18.77

-7.64%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$106 TND 311

190.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$3,225 TND 9,437

361.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$41.09 TND 120

35.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$60.3 TND 176

-56.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$153 TND 449

-45.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$84.5 TND 247

-16.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$240 TND 703

79.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$164 TND 480

45.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$435 TND 1,272

89.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$322 TND 942

59.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,006 TND 2,944

90.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$633 TND 1,853

131.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$382 TND 1,117

51.73%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sousse: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $240 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 52% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $23.00 in Sousse. Groceries tell a different story – $243 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 19% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,088 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $106 in Sousse. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $725 in Sousse, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sousse costs $725 versus $861 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.