Cost of Living Comparison Between Sfax and El Kef Cost of Living Comparison Between Sfax and El Kef

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $649 per month in Sfax vs $572 in El Kef, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,001 per month in Sfax vs $900 in El Kef, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,353 per month in Sfax vs $1,228 in El Kef, rent included.

Sfax costs about 13% more than El Kef, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Sfax and El Kef are more affordable than the global median – Sfax 53% lower, El Kef 58% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sfax
El Kef
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.43 TND 9.92
$3.51 TND 10.16
-2.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.68 TND 59.8
$13.57 TND 39.24
52.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.04 TND 14.57
$5.03 TND 14.54
0.20%
Cappuccino
$0.76 TND 2.21
$0.67 TND 1.93
13.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.60 TND 1.74
$0.55 TND 1.58
9.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27 TND 0.79
$0.23 TND 0.66
17.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.57 TND 4.55
$0.90 TND 2.61
74.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.10 TND 6.07
$1.00 TND 2.89
110.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sfax
El Kef
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.51 TND 1.48
$0.44 TND 1.28
15.91%
White Bread (500g)
$0.23 TND 0.66
$0.25 TND 0.73
-8.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.39 TND 4.02
$1.40 TND 4.04
-0.71%
Eggs
$1.67 TND 4.82
$1.50 TND 4.35
11.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.84 TND 37.12
$12.63 TND 36.52
1.66%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.69 TND 16.45
$5.62 TND 16.25
1.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.27 TND 41.28
$14.00 TND 40.47
1.93%
Apples (1kg)
$1.79 TND 5.17
$1.79 TND 5.18
-
Banana (1kg)
$3.24 TND 9.36
$1.69 TND 4.88
91.72%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.08 TND 3.12
$1.05 TND 3.03
2.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.74 TND 2.14
$0.60 TND 1.74
23.33%
Potato (1kg)
$0.76 TND 2.21
$0.39 TND 1.14
94.87%
Onion (1kg)
$0.78 TND 2.25
$0.18 TND 0.52
333.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.59 TND 1.71
$0.55 TND 1.58
7.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.33 TND 0.94
$0.32 TND 0.93
3.13%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 TND 11.46
$3.37 TND 9.75
17.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.64 TND 19.20
$4.55 TND 13.17
45.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 TND 3.31
$0.71 TND 2.04
61.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11 TND 3.20
$1.03 TND 2.97
7.77%
🚌 Getting Around
Sfax
El Kef
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.17 TND 0.50
$0.35 TND 1.02
-51.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$10.28 TND 29.71
$10.46 TND 30.23
-1.72%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.31 TND 0.89
$0.31 TND 0.89
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.35 TND 1.02
$0.30 TND 0.87
16.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.73 TND 22.35
$7.67 TND 22.19
0.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.90 TND 2.59
$0.86 TND 2.49
4.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.1K TND 107.3K
$40.1K TND 116.0K
-7.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.3K TND 102.0K
$37.0K TND 107.0K
-4.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sfax
El Kef
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$46.02 TND 133
$27.75 TND 80.3
65.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.74 TND 28.15
$9.54 TND 27.58
2.10%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.80 TND 42.80
$14.54 TND 42.05
1.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sfax
El Kef
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.02 TND 81.0
$28.43 TND 82.2
-1.44%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.20 TND 20.82
$14.10 TND 40.78
-48.94%
Cinema Ticket
$4.59 TND 13.28
$4.58 TND 13.26
0.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sfax
El Kef
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$99.7 TND 288
$69.9 TND 202
42.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,463 TND 7,123
$2,495 TND 7,213
-1.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sfax
El Kef
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.92 TND 124
$24.03 TND 69.5
78.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.95 TND 107
$45.35 TND 131
-18.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$116 TND 336
$41.85 TND 121
177.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$67.6 TND 195
$66.2 TND 192
2.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sfax
El Kef
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$194 TND 561
$222 TND 642
-12.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$140 TND 406
$163 TND 472
-14.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$339 TND 981
$391 TND 1,130
-13.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$217 TND 626
$286 TND 827
-24.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,037 TND 2,998
$968 TND 2,799
7.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$746 TND 2,158
$648 TND 1,874
15.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sfax
El Kef
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$332 TND 960
$169 TND 488
96.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.6
13.6
-

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

Last update for Sfax: August 31, 2026

Last update for El Kef: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $194 in Sfax versus $222 in El Kef. 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 97% higher in Sfax, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Sfax versus $14.00 in El Kef. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $175 – making El Kef 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 El Kef: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is El Kef cheaper than Sfax?
Yes – Sfax is pricier by about 13%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $973 per month in Sfax and $859 in El Kef. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in El Kef, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 2% less in El Kef. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $99.7 per month in Sfax and $69.9 in El Kef. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 enough for either Sfax or El Kef?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $649 in Sfax and $572 in El Kef, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Sfax or El Kef more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward El Kef – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Sfax or El Kef?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with El Kef. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sfax makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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