Cost of Living Comparison Between Mali and Tunisia Cost of Living Comparison Between Mali and Tunisia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $251 in Mali versus $619 in Tunisia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $416 in Mali versus $992 in Tunisia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $580 in Mali versus $1,365 in Tunisia.

Living in Mali costs about 59% less than in Tunisia on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Mali 81% lower, Tunisia 53% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mali
Tunisia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.79 F CFA 3,881
$3.44 TND 10.14
97.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.48 F CFA 21.4K
$20.06 TND 59.2
86.84%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.57 F CFA 3,755
$5.01 TND 14.78
31.14%
Cappuccino
$1.92 F CFA 1,097
$0.97 TND 2.86
97.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80 F CFA 457
$0.62 TND 1.82
29.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 F CFA 338
$0.29 TND 0.86
103.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.42 F CFA 1,381
$1.72 TND 5.09
40.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$20.70 F CFA 11.8K
$2.35 TND 6.92
780.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mali
Tunisia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.38 F CFA 1,358
$0.51 TND 1.49
366.67%
White Bread (500g)
$3.34 F CFA 1,907
$0.18 TND 0.54
1755.56%
Rice (white) (1kg)
-
$1.57 TND 4.62
-
Eggs
$4.49 F CFA 2,564
$1.64 TND 4.84
173.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.53 F CFA 10.0K
$10.79 TND 31.85
62.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.25 F CFA 9,861
$6.10 TND 18.01
182.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.14 F CFA 7,509
$14.17 TND 41.83
-7.27%
Apples (1kg)
$3.14 F CFA 1,793
$1.91 TND 5.63
64.40%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 F CFA 835
$3.00 TND 8.86
-51.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.77 F CFA 1,586
$1.11 TND 3.28
149.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.27 F CFA 1,299
$0.78 TND 2.30
191.03%
Potato (1kg)
$1.57 F CFA 898
$0.69 TND 2.05
127.54%
Onion (1kg)
$1.86 F CFA 1,063
$0.62 TND 1.83
200.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.09 F CFA 51.5
$0.48 TND 1.41
-81.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.24 F CFA 1,282
$0.30 TND 0.88
646.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$0.95 F CFA 543
$3.34 TND 9.85
-71.56%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$6.69 TND 19.74
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.51 F CFA 864
$1.25 TND 3.68
20.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 F CFA 736
$1.36 TND 4.00
-5.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Mali
Tunisia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.61 F CFA 2,632
$0.35 TND 1.03
1217.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$10.24 TND 30.21
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$0.29 TND 0.85
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.25 F CFA 717
$0.31 TND 0.91
303.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$4.14 TND 12.20
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.14 F CFA 650
$0.88 TND 2.59
29.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$40.4K TND 119.2K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$37.0K TND 109.3K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mali
Tunisia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$151 F CFA 86.3K
$54.3 TND 160
177.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$10.19 TND 30.07
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$56.5 F CFA 32.3K
$19.61 TND 57.9
188.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mali
Tunisia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$66.5 F CFA 38.0K
$28.04 TND 82.7
137.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.04 F CFA 2,308
$12.74 TND 37.61
-68.29%
Cinema Ticket
$5.62 F CFA 3,212
$5.43 TND 16.03
3.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mali
Tunisia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$79.9 F CFA 45.7K
$95.6 TND 282
-16.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$2,733 TND 8,065
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mali
Tunisia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$42.03 TND 124
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$52.5 TND 155
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$97.8 TND 289
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$73.7 TND 218
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mali
Tunisia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$178 F CFA 101.7K
$235 TND 694
-24.30%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$79.8 F CFA 45.6K
$156 TND 460
-48.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$410 F CFA 234.2K
$403 TND 1,189
1.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$304 F CFA 173.9K
$272 TND 801
12.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.0K F CFA 5.7M
$1,029 TND 3,038
874.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$850 F CFA 485.6K
$619 TND 1,826
37.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mali
Tunisia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$257 F CFA 147.1K
$321 TND 947
-19.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
11.33
-

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

Last update for Mali: July 26, 2026

Last update for Tunisia: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $43.00 in Mali, $198 in Tunisia. Capital cities: $173 in Bamako vs $278 in Tunis.

National salary averages: $261 in Mali, $310 in Tunisia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 360% higher in Tunisia.

Dining out costs 111% more in Tunisia.

Salaries are 19% higher in Tunisia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Mali.

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
Mali vs Tunisia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Mali or Tunisia?
At $459 per month in Mali and $616 in Tunisia, there's a 34% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Mali or Tunisia?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Mali: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between Mali and Tunisia?
Rent in Tunisia is consistently higher than in Mali across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $1,200 go in Mali compared to Tunisia?
In Mali, $1,200 covers most cities easily; in Tunisia it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Mali and in Tunisia?
It depends on what you're after: Mali wins on affordability; Tunisia may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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