Cost of Living Comparison Between Sfax and Kairouan Cost of Living Comparison Between Sfax and Kairouan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $621 per month in Sfax vs $562 in Kairouan, rent included.

A couple spends around $996 per month in Sfax vs $869 in Kairouan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,372 per month in Sfax vs $1,176 in Kairouan, rent included.

Sfax costs about 11% more than Kairouan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 TND 9.77

$2.39 TND 7.01

39.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.31 TND 59.6

$8.64 TND 25.36

135.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.49 TND 10.24

$3.33 TND 9.77

4.80%

Cappuccino

$0.71 TND 2.07

$0.77 TND 2.25

-7.79%

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

$0.63 TND 1.85

$0.61 TND 1.78

3.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 TND 0.67

$0.13 TND 0.38

76.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 TND 4.55

$1.49 TND 4.38

4.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 TND 5.89

$1.91 TND 5.60

5.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.51 TND 1.48

$0.49 TND 1.45

4.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.18 TND 0.52

$0.08 TND 0.23

125.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 TND 4.53

$1.55 TND 4.55

-0.65%

Eggs

$1.66 TND 4.86

$1.50 TND 4.39

10.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.23 TND 32.94

$11.35 TND 33.31

-1.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.61 TND 16.45

$5.61 TND 16.47

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.41 TND 39.36

$11.94 TND 35.03

12.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 TND 6.52

$2.18 TND 6.39

1.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 TND 8.73

$2.30 TND 6.76

29.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 TND 3.10

$1.00 TND 2.94

6.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 TND 2.18

$0.74 TND 2.16

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 TND 2.31

$0.69 TND 2.03

14.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 TND 2.07

$0.73 TND 2.13

-4.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 TND 1.53

$0.49 TND 1.42

6.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 TND 0.98

$0.27 TND 0.80

25.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.65 TND 10.72

$3.35 TND 9.84

8.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.94 TND 20.35

$6.63 TND 19.47

4.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 TND 3.35

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 TND 3.22

$1.07 TND 3.14

2.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 TND 0.58

$0.33 TND 0.97

-39.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.26 TND 30.11

$10.13 TND 29.74

1.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.30 TND 0.87

$0.31 TND 0.92

-3.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 TND 0.97

$0.33 TND 0.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.28 TND 21.37

$7.38 TND 21.66

-1.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 TND 2.43

$0.79 TND 2.31

5.06%

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

$35.6K TND 104.5K

$36.3K TND 106.4K

-1.81%

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

$34.6K TND 101.5K

$34.5K TND 101.2K

0.26%

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

$45.95 TND 135

$46.19 TND 136

-0.52%

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

$9.75 TND 28.62

$9.78 TND 28.71

-0.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.77 TND 43.35

$14.61 TND 42.88

1.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.90 TND 81.9

$23.96 TND 70.3

16.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.46 TND 21.90

$12.48 TND 36.61

-40.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.64 TND 13.62

$4.63 TND 13.58

0.22%

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

$107 TND 313

0.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,460 TND 7,219

$2,475 TND 7,263

-0.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.53 TND 131

$23.83 TND 69.9

86.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.04 TND 129

$44.37 TND 130

-0.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 TND 296

$47.47 TND 139

112.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.3 TND 195

$63.8 TND 187

3.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$192 TND 565

$115 TND 339

66.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$130 TND 383

$134 TND 392

-2.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$338 TND 990

$373 TND 1,093

-9.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 TND 735

$274 TND 803

-8.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,010 TND 2,965

$968 TND 2,842

4.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$646 TND 1,896

$568 TND 1,668

13.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$326 TND 956

-0.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.6

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

Last update for Sfax: July 26, 2026

Last update for Kairouan: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $192 in Sfax versus $115 in Kairouan. 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 0% higher in Kairouan, 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 $9.00 in Kairouan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $178 – making Kairouan 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 Kairouan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $621 in Sfax, $562 in Kairouan – roughly 11% apart. Sfax costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $931 per month in Sfax and $842 in Kairouan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kairouan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Kairouan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $107 per month in Sfax and $107 in Kairouan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $621 in Sfax and $562 in Kairouan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Kairouan – 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 Kairouan. 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.