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 $618 per month in Sfax vs $660 in Ben Arous, rent included.

A couple spends around $997 per month in Sfax vs $1,058 in Ben Arous, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,375 per month in Sfax vs $1,456 in Ben Arous, rent included.

Sfax is about 6% cheaper than Ben Arous, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Sfax and Ben Arous are more affordable than the global median – Sfax 54% lower, Ben Arous 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 TND 9.74

$3.41 TND 9.87

-1.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.94 TND 57.6

$21.63 TND 62.5

-7.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.37 TND 9.73

$4.14 TND 11.97

-18.60%

Cappuccino

$0.72 TND 2.09

$0.77 TND 2.24

-6.49%

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

$0.64 TND 1.86

$0.65 TND 1.87

-1.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 TND 0.73

$0.26 TND 0.74

-3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.50 TND 4.33

$1.48 TND 4.29

1.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 TND 5.75

$2.00 TND 5.77

-0.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.53 TND 1.54

$0.49 TND 1.40

8.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.19 TND 0.56

$0.18 TND 0.51

5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 TND 4.51

$1.63 TND 4.72

-4.29%

Eggs

$1.58 TND 4.56

$1.59 TND 4.59

-0.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.13 TND 32.18

$11.17 TND 32.27

-0.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 TND 16.87

$6.10 TND 17.64

-4.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.54 TND 39.13

$14.76 TND 42.66

-8.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 TND 6.22

$2.08 TND 6.01

3.37%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 TND 8.93

$2.96 TND 8.56

4.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 TND 3.02

$1.13 TND 3.25

-7.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 TND 2.09

$0.72 TND 2.08

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 TND 2.16

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 TND 2.23

$0.72 TND 2.08

6.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 TND 1.40

$0.43 TND 1.24

11.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 TND 0.89

$0.30 TND 0.86

3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.48 TND 10.04

$3.53 TND 10.20

-1.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.01 TND 20.25

$7.83 TND 22.62

-10.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 TND 3.28

$1.14 TND 3.30

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 TND 3.19

$1.23 TND 3.56

-10.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 TND 0.56

$0.42 TND 1.22

-54.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.35 TND 29.91

$13.62 TND 39.37

-24.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.30 TND 0.87

$0.32 TND 0.94

-6.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 TND 0.89

$0.33 TND 0.96

-6.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.38 TND 21.32

$3.30 TND 9.54

123.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 TND 2.60

$0.83 TND 2.39

8.43%

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

$35.6K TND 102.8K

$40.6K TND 117.2K

-12.29%

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

$34.3K TND 99.1K

$34.4K TND 99.4K

-0.35%

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

$44.90 TND 130

$48.91 TND 141

-8.20%

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

$9.49 TND 27.43

$9.89 TND 28.59

-4.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.99 TND 43.32

$20.99 TND 60.7

-28.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.95 TND 80.8

$32.32 TND 93.4

-13.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.14 TND 20.64

$17.21 TND 49.74

-58.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.65 TND 13.44

$4.93 TND 14.24

-5.68%

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

$107 TND 308

-0.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,437 TND 7,042

$2,513 TND 7,262

-3.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.84 TND 127

$44.31 TND 128

-1.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.33 TND 128

$44.45 TND 128

-0.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 TND 299

$94.9 TND 274

8.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.6 TND 187

$78.3 TND 226

-17.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$193 TND 559

$185 TND 536

4.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 TND 385

$138 TND 398

-3.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$338 TND 976

$378 TND 1,094

-10.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 TND 734

$268 TND 774

-5.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$980 TND 2,831

$942 TND 2,721

4.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$650 TND 1,879

$434 TND 1,255

49.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$322 TND 929

$254 TND 733

26.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.6

10.96

24.09%

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

Last update for Sfax: April 25, 2026

Last update for Ben Arous: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $193 in Sfax versus $185 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 27% 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 $22.00 in Ben Arous. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $191 vs $197 – making Sfax 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

Sfax vs Ben Arous: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $618 in Sfax, $660 in Ben Arous – roughly 7% apart. Ben Arous costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $928 per month in Sfax and $990 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 $22.00 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 $618 in Sfax and $660 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 $618 in Sfax and $660 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.