For one person, living is cheaper in Sfax: $626 a month against $666 in Ariana, rent and utilities included – about $480 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ariana outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sfax and in Ariana actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $626 per month in Sfax vs $666 in Ariana, rent included.
Sfax $626
Ariana $666
A couple spends around $983 per month in Sfax vs $1,039 in Ariana, rent included.
Sfax $983
Ariana $1,039
A family of three spends $1,341 per month in Sfax vs $1,413 in Ariana, rent included.
Sfax $1,341
Ariana $1,413
🙂
Sfax is about 6% cheaper than Ariana, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Both Sfax and Ariana are more affordable than the global median – Sfax54% lower, Ariana51% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Sfax
Ariana
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.39TND 10.14
$4.44TND 13.29
-23.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.15TND 60.3
$17.44TND 52.3
15.54%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.98TND 14.92
$4.77TND 14.29
4.40%
Cappuccino
$0.70TND 2.08
$1.11TND 3.33
-36.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.63TND 1.89
$0.66TND 1.97
-4.55%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.25TND 0.74
$0.33TND 1.00
-24.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.62TND 4.85
$1.65TND 4.95
-1.82%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95TND 5.83
$1.38TND 4.12
41.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sfax
Ariana
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.46TND 1.38
$0.52TND 1.56
-11.54%
White Bread(500g)
$0.22TND 0.66
$0.26TND 0.78
-15.38%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.36TND 4.08
$1.77TND 5.30
-23.16%
Eggs
$1.55TND 4.63
$1.55TND 4.64
-
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.52TND 37.51
$7.27TND 21.79
72.21%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.52TND 16.53
$6.03TND 18.06
-8.46%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.83TND 41.41
$11.19TND 33.52
23.59%
Apples(1kg)
$1.81TND 5.43
$1.66TND 4.97
9.04%
Banana(1kg)
$3.14TND 9.41
$2.65TND 7.93
18.49%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.05TND 3.14
$1.12TND 3.34
-6.25%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.68TND 2.04
$0.76TND 2.28
-10.53%
Potato(1kg)
$0.81TND 2.42
$0.80TND 2.40
1.25%
Onion(1kg)
$0.83TND 2.47
$0.71TND 2.11
16.90%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.58TND 1.74
$0.52TND 1.57
11.54%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.35TND 1.04
$0.33TND 0.99
6.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.73TND 11.17
$3.43TND 10.28
8.75%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.88TND 20.60
$6.78TND 20.30
1.47%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.13TND 3.39
$1.24TND 3.70
-8.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09TND 3.26
$1.58TND 4.73
-31.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Sfax
Ariana
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.18TND 0.53
$0.35TND 1.04
-48.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$9.97TND 29.87
$10.04TND 30.07
-0.70%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.33TND 0.99
$0.30TND 0.89
10.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.31TND 0.94
$0.33TND 1.00
-6.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.21TND 21.59
$1.75TND 5.25
312.00%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.80TND 2.39
$0.82TND 2.44
-2.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.1KTND 108.0K
$37.3KTND 111.7K
-3.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.4KTND 103.1K
$33.3KTND 99.7K
3.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sfax
Ariana
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$44.55TND 133
$59.8TND 179
-25.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.71TND 29.09
$9.20TND 27.55
5.54%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.70TND 44.02
$20.51TND 61.4
-28.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sfax
Ariana
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$27.24TND 81.6
$31.26TND 93.6
-12.86%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.12TND 21.32
$16.96TND 50.8
-58.02%
Cinema Ticket
$4.65TND 13.91
$4.36TND 13.07
6.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sfax
Ariana
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$98.6TND 295
$103TND 308
-4.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,480TND 7,427
$3,289TND 9,850
-24.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sfax
Ariana
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.87TND 125
$38.46TND 115
8.87%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.55TND 106
$58.2TND 174
-38.90%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$112TND 337
$90.1TND 270
24.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$67.2TND 201
$65.7TND 197
2.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sfax
Ariana
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$195TND 584
$244TND 731
-20.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$133TND 399
$160TND 479
-16.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$335TND 1,002
$441TND 1,322
-24.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$214TND 641
$292TND 876
-26.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,014TND 3,037
$1,110TND 3,324
-8.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$720TND 2,156
$732TND 2,193
-1.69%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sfax
Ariana
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$333TND 996
$331TND 991
0.54%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.6
10.67
27.46%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Sfax: October 11, 2026
Last update for Ariana: October 11, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Sfax
$193 30.8%
Ariana
$172 25.8% ↓ 10.8%$21
🏠Accommodation & Living
Sfax
$133 21.3%
Ariana
$160 24% ↑ 20%$27
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Sfax
$116 18.5%
Ariana
$114 17% ↓ 1.8%$2.1
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sfax
$69 11%
Ariana
$89 13.4% ↑ 29.7%$21
🍽Eating Out
Sfax
$66 10.5%
Ariana
$78 11.7% ↑ 18.6%$12
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Sfax
$37 5.8%
Ariana
$40 6% ↑ 9.5%$3.5
🚌Getting Around
Sfax
$13 2%
Ariana
$13 2% ↑ 6.4%$0.8
🛒Groceries & Markets
Sfax
$456 34%
Ariana
$402 28.5% ↓ 11.8%$54
🏠Accommodation & Living
Sfax
$214 16%
Ariana
$292 20.7% ↑ 36.6%$78
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Sfax
$257 19.2%
Ariana
$252 17.9% ↓ 1.8%$4.6
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sfax
$79 5.9%
Ariana
$99 7% ↑ 25.4%$20
🍽Eating Out
Sfax
$229 17.1%
Ariana
$242 17.2% ↑ 5.7%$13
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Sfax
$80 6%
Ariana
$97 6.9% ↑ 20.9%$17
🚌Getting Around
Sfax
$26 1.9%
Ariana
$27 1.9% ↑ 7.6%$1.9
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $195 in Sfax versus $244 in Ariana. 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 1% higher in Sfax, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Sfax versus $17.00 in Ariana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $172 – making Ariana the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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
Sfax vs Ariana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Sfax and in Ariana compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $626 in Sfax, $666 in Ariana – roughly 7% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Sfax compared to Ariana?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $938 per month in Sfax and $1,000 in Ariana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Sfax and Ariana?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Sfax, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Ariana – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Sfax and $17.00 in Ariana. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How far does $1,200 go in Sfax compared to Ariana?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $626 in Sfax and $666 in Ariana, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Sfax or Ariana?
Families tend to lean toward Sfax – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Sfax and Ariana?
If budget matters most, go with Sfax. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ariana makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.