Cost of Living Comparison Between Sfax and Ben Arous Cost of Living Comparison Between Sfax and Ben Arous

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $656 per month in Sfax vs $693 in Ben Arous, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,015 per month in Sfax vs $1,087 in Ben Arous, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,375 per month in Sfax vs $1,481 in Ben Arous, rent included.

Sfax is about 5% cheaper than Ben Arous, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sfax and Ben Arous are more affordable than the global median – Sfax 52% lower, Ben Arous 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 TND 9.59

$4.06 TND 11.69

-17.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.32 TND 58.6

$20.63 TND 59.5

-1.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 TND 15.16

$5.04 TND 14.53

4.37%

Cappuccino

$0.73 TND 2.10

$0.84 TND 2.41

-13.10%

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

$0.65 TND 1.88

$0.68 TND 1.97

-4.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 TND 0.79

$0.25 TND 0.71

8.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 TND 4.64

$1.58 TND 4.54

1.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 TND 5.75

$1.99 TND 5.75

0.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.48 TND 1.37

$0.48 TND 1.38

White Bread (500g)

$0.22 TND 0.63

$0.24 TND 0.69

-8.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 TND 4.01

$1.72 TND 4.96

-19.19%

Eggs

$1.61 TND 4.64

$1.60 TND 4.62

0.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.88 TND 37.13

$10.56 TND 30.45

21.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.62 TND 16.19

$6.03 TND 17.40

-6.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.82 TND 39.84

$16.15 TND 46.56

-14.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 TND 5.19

$1.51 TND 4.35

19.21%

Banana (1kg)

$3.67 TND 10.59

$2.39 TND 6.88

53.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 TND 3.07

$1.01 TND 2.92

4.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 TND 2.15

$0.74 TND 2.15

1.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 TND 2.20

$0.83 TND 2.39

-8.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 TND 2.42

$0.80 TND 2.31

5.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 TND 1.67

$0.49 TND 1.41

18.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 TND 0.98

$0.30 TND 0.86

13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.69 TND 10.65

$3.62 TND 10.43

1.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.88 TND 19.83

$6.89 TND 19.86

-0.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 TND 3.49

$1.16 TND 3.34

4.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 TND 3.08

$1.25 TND 3.61

-14.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 TND 0.48

$0.40 TND 1.14

-57.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.27 TND 29.62

$13.87 TND 39.99

-25.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 TND 0.89

$0.32 TND 0.92

-3.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 TND 1.02

$0.35 TND 1.01

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.68 TND 22.15

$3.43 TND 9.88

123.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 TND 2.54

$0.85 TND 2.44

3.53%

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

$40.7K TND 117.3K

$39.9K TND 115.0K

2.05%

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

$38.0K TND 109.6K

$37.6K TND 108.3K

1.21%

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

$46.46 TND 134

$55.7 TND 161

-16.65%

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

$9.76 TND 28.13

$9.75 TND 28.11

0.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.80 TND 42.66

$20.91 TND 60.3

-29.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.03 TND 80.8

$33.01 TND 95.2

-15.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.48 TND 21.55

$16.88 TND 48.68

-55.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 TND 13.58

$4.97 TND 14.33

-5.23%

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

$108 TND 311

$107 TND 310

0.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,532 TND 7,300

$2,521 TND 7,268

0.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 TND 152

$51.9 TND 150

1.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.84 TND 129

$44.90 TND 129

-0.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 TND 290

$104 TND 299

-2.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.6 TND 189

$66.3 TND 191

-0.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$194 TND 560

$214 TND 618

-9.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 TND 390

$162 TND 468

-16.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$342 TND 985

$382 TND 1,100

-10.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$220 TND 634

$272 TND 784

-19.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,024 TND 2,951

$938 TND 2,705

9.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$755 TND 2,176

$427 TND 1,231

76.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$329 TND 947

$253 TND 730

29.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.6

10.5

29.52%

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

Last update for Sfax: August 18, 2026

Last update for Ben Arous: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $194 in Sfax versus $214 in Ben Arous. 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 30% 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 $21.00 in Ben Arous. Groceries tell a different story – $198 in Sfax vs $192 in Ben Arous – so Ben Arous wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Ben Arous: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $656 in Sfax, $693 in Ben Arous – roughly 6% apart. Ben Arous costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $984 per month in Sfax and $1,040 in Ben Arous. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Sfax and $21.00 in Ben Arous. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $656 in Sfax and $693 in Ben Arous. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $656 in Sfax and $693 in Ben Arous, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.

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 Sfax. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ben Arous makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.