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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $587 in Tozeur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $933 in Tozeur, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,279 in Tozeur, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 47% more than Tozeur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Tozeur are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Tozeur 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$2.30 TND 6.66

-15.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$12.02 TND 34.80

55.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$3.31 TND 9.59

136.25%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$0.78 TND 2.25

150.00%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.60 TND 1.72

41.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.25 TND 0.73

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.51 TND 4.37

41.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.97 TND 5.71

89.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.48 TND 1.39

256.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.16 TND 0.46

918.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$0.53 TND 1.52

115.09%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.56 TND 4.51

23.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$10.24 TND 29.65

58.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.77 TND 16.72

-45.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$11.75 TND 34.01

-7.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.05 TND 5.94

34.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$2.06 TND 5.98

-41.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.06 TND 3.06

52.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$0.68 TND 1.97

133.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$0.80 TND 2.32

75.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$0.78 TND 2.25

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.48 TND 1.38

37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.30 TND 0.88

76.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.52 TND 10.19

33.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$6.83 TND 19.77

173.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.14 TND 3.31

57.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.04 TND 3.01

210.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.36 TND 1.03

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$10.24 TND 29.65

87.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$0.30 TND 0.85

370.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.33 TND 0.97

290.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$7.36 TND 21.32

6.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$0.83 TND 2.41

53.01%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$34.4K TND 99.5K

-38.07%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$34.5K TND 100.0K

-35.70%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$45.36 TND 131

52.27%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$9.63 TND 27.88

46.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$14.89 TND 43.12

20.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$29.85 TND 86.5

37.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$12.53 TND 36.30

-44.45%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.70 TND 13.60

25.96%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$107 TND 309

180.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$2,521 TND 7,302

493.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$44.53 TND 129

22.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$44.83 TND 130

-40.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$100 TND 291

-15.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$50.9 TND 147

38.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$197 TND 571

117.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$136 TND 395

74.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$384 TND 1,113

108.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$271 TND 784

90.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$997 TND 2,888

97.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$695 TND 2,012

112.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$310 TND 897

99.45%

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 Tozeur: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $197 in Tozeur. 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 99% 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 $12.00 in Tozeur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $171 – making Tozeur the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Tozeur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 47% more than Tozeur, 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 $881 in Tozeur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tozeur, 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 $107 in Tozeur. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $587 in Tozeur, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tozeur costs $587 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 Tozeur. 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.