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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $583 per month in Gafsa vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $878 per month in Gafsa vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,174 per month in Gafsa vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Gafsa is about 33% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Gafsa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Gafsa 57% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 TND 11.47

$1.98 ฿64.3

98.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.59 TND 27.97

$18.80 ฿612

-48.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.50 TND 7.29

$7.75 ฿252

-67.74%

Cappuccino

$0.56 TND 1.65

$1.92 ฿62.5

-70.83%

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

$0.49 TND 1.44

$0.79 ฿25.79

-37.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 TND 0.67

$0.36 ฿11.62

-36.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 TND 5.04

$2.21 ฿72.1

-21.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 TND 7.83

$3.66 ฿119

-26.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.49 TND 1.43

$1.65 ฿53.8

-70.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.13 TND 0.37

$1.63 ฿53.2

-92.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 TND 4.96

$1.19 ฿38.86

42.86%

Eggs

$1.06 TND 3.08

$2.00 ฿65.1

-47.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.60 TND 30.93

$15.98 ฿520

-33.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 TND 16.89

$3.03 ฿98.5

91.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.30 TND 32.97

$10.86 ฿354

4.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.47 TND 4.28

$2.76 ฿90.0

-46.74%

Banana (1kg)

$3.17 TND 9.26

$1.18 ฿38.42

168.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.89 TND 2.59

$1.64 ฿53.5

-45.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 TND 2.10

$1.52 ฿49.51

-52.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 TND 2.06

$1.38 ฿45.10

-48.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 TND 1.49

$1.19 ฿38.84

-57.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 TND 1.37

$0.70 ฿22.86

-32.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 TND 0.81

$0.56 ฿18.13

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 TND 7.14

$4.58 ฿149

-46.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.66 TND 22.34

$16.56 ฿539

-53.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 TND 3.92

$1.83 ฿59.5

-26.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 TND 4.54

$3.20 ฿104

-51.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 TND 1.03

$0.88 ฿28.56

-60.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.23 TND 32.75

$18.72 ฿610

-40.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.29 TND 0.83

$1.36 ฿44.16

-78.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 TND 0.70

$1.34 ฿43.65

-82.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 TND 10.15

$7.84 ฿256

-55.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 TND 2.51

$1.23 ฿39.92

-30.08%

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

$39.4K TND 115.1K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

82.37%

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

$32.5K TND 95.0K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

44.36%

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

$41.23 TND 120

$70.5 ฿2,298

-41.55%

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

$8.56 TND 24.98

$13.68 ฿445

-37.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.65 TND 57.3

$17.45 ฿568

12.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.49 TND 45.20

$41.33 ฿1,346

-62.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.88 TND 37.59

$6.96 ฿227

85.06%

Cinema Ticket

$5.38 TND 15.69

$5.77 ฿188

-6.76%

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

$61.5 TND 179

$307 ฿10.0K

-79.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,031 TND 3,007

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-92.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.15 TND 120

$55.8 ฿1,817

-26.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 TND 153

$26.21 ฿854

99.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 TND 281

$85.8 ฿2,793

12.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 TND 233

$72.2 ฿2,353

10.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$145 TND 422

$430 ฿14.0K

-66.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$104 TND 302

$239 ฿7,774

-56.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$215 TND 627

$817 ฿26.6K

-73.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 TND 451

$511 ฿16.6K

-69.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,029 TND 3,001

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-48.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$364 TND 1,063

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-75.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$314 TND 915

$619 ฿20.2K

-49.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.88

77.60%

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

Last update for Gafsa: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $145 in Gafsa versus $430 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 97% 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 $10.00 in Gafsa versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $241 – making Gafsa 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

Gafsa vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 49% more than Gafsa, 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 $874 per month in Gafsa and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gafsa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $61.5 per month in Gafsa and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% 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 $583 in Gafsa and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gafsa costs $583 versus $869 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 Gafsa. 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.