Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gafsa and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Gafsa: $585 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Gafsa, Tunisia
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Gafsa
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$585
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $585 per month in Gafsa vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Gafsa $585
  • Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $900 per month in Gafsa vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Gafsa $900
  • Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $1,215 per month in Gafsa vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Gafsa $1,215
  • Chiang Mai $1,979

Gafsa is about 37% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Gafsa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Gafsa 57% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Gafsa
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.75 TND 11.26
$2.24 ฿75.6
67.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$9.96 TND 29.93
$19.00 ฿641
-47.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.57 TND 7.71
$5.55 ฿187
-53.69%
Cappuccino
$0.61 TND 1.82
$1.67 ฿56.5
-63.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.52 TND 1.57
$0.64 ฿21.54
-18.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.24 TND 0.72
$0.31 ฿10.31
-22.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.71 TND 5.15
$2.36 ฿79.5
-27.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 TND 4.92
$3.66 ฿124
-55.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Gafsa
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.44 TND 1.32
$1.95 ฿65.7
-77.44%
White Bread (500g)
$0.14 TND 0.42
$1.44 ฿48.46
-90.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.64 TND 4.93
$1.33 ฿45.03
23.31%
Eggs
$1.06 TND 3.18
$2.28 ฿77.1
-53.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.84 TND 38.57
$16.45 ฿555
-21.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.03 TND 18.13
$2.78 ฿93.9
116.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.62 TND 34.90
$9.31 ฿314
24.81%
Apples (1kg)
$1.40 TND 4.19
$2.35 ฿79.4
-40.43%
Banana (1kg)
$3.12 TND 9.37
$0.97 ฿32.79
221.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.87 TND 2.62
$1.60 ฿53.9
-45.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.88 TND 2.63
$1.50 ฿50.6
-41.33%
Potato (1kg)
$0.74 TND 2.23
$1.28 ฿43.11
-42.19%
Onion (1kg)
$0.47 TND 1.42
$1.10 ฿37.18
-57.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.46 TND 1.37
$0.71 ฿23.82
-35.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.27 TND 0.81
$0.49 ฿16.36
-44.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.53 TND 7.61
$4.14 ฿140
-38.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.94 TND 14.84
$17.52 ฿591
-71.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 TND 3.68
$1.61 ฿54.5
-23.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33 TND 3.99
$2.78 ฿93.9
-52.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Gafsa
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.33 TND 0.98
$0.87 ฿29.30
-62.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$10.97 TND 32.94
$54.1 ฿1,825
-79.72%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.29 TND 0.87
$1.16 ฿39.04
-75.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.25 TND 0.76
$0.53 ฿17.80
-52.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.95 TND 11.86
$2.42 ฿81.7
63.22%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.89 TND 2.66
$1.45 ฿48.88
-38.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.6K TND 115.9K
$21.1K ฿710.5K
83.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.4K TND 94.4K
$26.9K ฿909.0K
16.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gafsa
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$39.77 TND 119
$62.2 ฿2,098
-36.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.37 TND 25.13
$12.17 ฿411
-31.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.37 TND 58.2
$20.12 ฿679
-3.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Gafsa
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$15.20 TND 45.66
$37.31 ฿1,259
-59.26%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.34 TND 37.09
$3.77 ฿127
227.32%
Cinema Ticket
$3.33 TND 10.01
$6.49 ฿219
-48.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Gafsa
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$61.2 TND 184
$736 ฿24.8K
-91.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$987 TND 2,966
$14.8K ฿498.2K
-93.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Gafsa
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$39.95 TND 120
$53.4 ฿1,801
-25.15%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.9 TND 156
$24.64 ฿831
110.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 TND 314
$91.5 ฿3,087
14.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114 TND 343
$71.9 ฿2,427
58.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Gafsa
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$143 TND 431
$482 ฿16.3K
-70.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$102 TND 306
$309 ฿10.4K
-67.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$206 TND 620
$1,006 ฿33.9K
-79.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$149 TND 448
$633 ฿21.4K
-76.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$959 TND 2,881
$2,363 ฿79.7K
-59.42%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$348 TND 1,044
$1,589 ฿53.6K
-78.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Gafsa
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$304 TND 913
$590 ฿19.9K
-48.46%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.88
5.57
59.43%

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

Last update for Gafsa: October 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Gafsa
$181
Chiang Mai
$234 29.8% $54
Clothing & Footwear
Gafsa
$140
Chiang Mai
$109 22.2% $31
Accommodation & Living
Gafsa
$102
Chiang Mai
$309 204% $207
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Gafsa
$68
Chiang Mai
$94 39.9% $27
Eating Out
Gafsa
$60
Chiang Mai
$78 29.6% $18
Sport & Entertainment
Gafsa
$22
Chiang Mai
$50 130% $28
Getting Around
Gafsa
$14
Chiang Mai
$61 344% $48

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $143 in Gafsa versus $482 in Chiang Mai. 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 94% higher in Chiang Mai. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $10 in Gafsa versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $181 vs $234 – making Gafsa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇳 Gafsa
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
19:05 7:05 PM
01:05 1:05 AM
6 h ahead of Gafsa
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
111,170
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to TND – Tunisian Dinar Converter

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3 TND (1 TND = 0.333 USD). 1 EUR = 3.35 TND (1 TND = 0.298 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Gafsa Chiang Mai 8,860 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Gafsa
  • Chiang Mai

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
Gafsa vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Gafsa or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 60% more than Gafsa, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Gafsa and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $878 per month in Gafsa and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Gafsa or Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Gafsa, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $143 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.
How do childcare costs compare in Gafsa and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $61 per month in Gafsa and $736 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Gafsa or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 30% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Gafsa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Gafsa or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Gafsa. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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