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 $621 per month in Sfax vs $652 in Ben Arous, rent included.

A couple spends around $984 per month in Sfax vs $1,052 in Ben Arous, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,347 per month in Sfax vs $1,451 in Ben Arous, rent included.

Sfax is about 5% cheaper than Ben Arous, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 TND 9.93

$3.41 TND 9.96

-0.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.05 TND 58.5

$22.33 TND 65.1

-10.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.30 TND 9.63

$4.20 TND 12.26

-21.43%

Cappuccino

$0.77 TND 2.25

$0.71 TND 2.07

8.45%

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

$0.64 TND 1.87

$0.61 TND 1.77

4.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 TND 0.73

$0.26 TND 0.76

-3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.49 TND 4.34

$1.54 TND 4.49

-3.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 TND 5.78

$1.92 TND 5.60

3.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.50 TND 1.47

$0.49 TND 1.43

2.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.15 TND 0.45

$0.19 TND 0.56

-21.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 TND 4.53

$1.62 TND 4.73

-4.32%

Eggs

$1.66 TND 4.83

$1.57 TND 4.58

5.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.12 TND 32.44

$11.32 TND 33.03

-1.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 TND 16.90

$6.16 TND 17.97

-6.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.60 TND 39.69

$14.68 TND 42.84

-7.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 TND 6.32

$2.11 TND 6.14

2.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 TND 8.57

$3.04 TND 8.85

-3.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 TND 3.09

$1.13 TND 3.31

-6.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 TND 2.01

$0.70 TND 2.06

-1.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 TND 2.20

$0.75 TND 2.19

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 TND 2.13

$0.77 TND 2.25

-5.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 TND 1.39

$0.43 TND 1.26

11.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 TND 0.89

$0.29 TND 0.86

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 TND 10.32

$3.63 TND 10.59

-2.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.72 TND 19.60

$7.85 TND 22.91

-14.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 TND 3.23

$1.09 TND 3.19

1.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 TND 3.22

$1.25 TND 3.65

-12.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 TND 0.50

$0.39 TND 1.15

-56.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.05 TND 29.31

$13.72 TND 40.03

-26.75%

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

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.41 TND 21.62

$3.43 TND 10.01

116.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 TND 2.40

$0.82 TND 2.39

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

$35.1K TND 102.3K

$40.5K TND 118.2K

-13.49%

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

$34.5K TND 100.5K

$35.0K TND 102.0K

-1.41%

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

$45.03 TND 131

$49.32 TND 144

-8.70%

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

$9.39 TND 27.41

$9.74 TND 28.42

-3.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.97 TND 43.68

$21.34 TND 62.3

-29.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.96 TND 81.6

$31.82 TND 92.8

-12.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.43 TND 21.66

$17.08 TND 49.83

-56.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.69 TND 13.68

$5.10 TND 14.88

-8.04%

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

$111 TND 323

$109 TND 319

1.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,502 TND 7,301

$2,528 TND 7,377

-1.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.39 TND 130

$44.77 TND 131

-0.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.28 TND 126

$43.75 TND 128

-1.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 TND 299

$96.6 TND 282

6.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.7 TND 189

$79.0 TND 230

-18.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$190 TND 553

$188 TND 549

0.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$132 TND 386

$138 TND 403

-4.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$332 TND 969

$366 TND 1,068

-9.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 TND 728

$271 TND 790

-7.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,020 TND 2,977

$953 TND 2,781

7.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$667 TND 1,947

$431 TND 1,257

54.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$330 TND 962

$253 TND 737

30.52%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ben Arous: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $190 in Sfax versus $188 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 31% 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: $189 vs $198 – 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: $621 in Sfax, $652 in Ben Arous – roughly 5% apart. Ben Arous costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $931 per month in Sfax and $978 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 $621 in Sfax and $652 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 $621 in Sfax and $652 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.