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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $624 per month in Sfax vs $558 in Kairouan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,006 per month in Sfax vs $881 in Kairouan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,388 per month in Sfax vs $1,204 in Kairouan, rent included.

Sfax costs about 12% 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

$3.29 TND 9.56

$2.41 TND 7.00

36.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.95 TND 58.0

$8.49 TND 24.67

134.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.49 TND 10.14

$3.31 TND 9.62

5.44%

Cappuccino

$0.70 TND 2.05

$0.77 TND 2.22

-9.09%

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

$0.59 TND 1.72

$0.61 TND 1.77

-3.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 TND 0.73

$0.13 TND 0.38

92.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 TND 4.29

$1.47 TND 4.29

0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 TND 5.80

$1.89 TND 5.50

5.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.54 TND 1.58

$0.46 TND 1.34

17.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.19 TND 0.56

$0.09 TND 0.26

111.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 TND 4.49

$1.47 TND 4.29

4.76%

Eggs

$1.63 TND 4.75

$1.54 TND 4.47

5.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.45 TND 33.29

$11.31 TND 32.88

1.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.81 TND 16.88

$5.58 TND 16.22

4.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.40 TND 38.94

$12.00 TND 34.88

11.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 TND 6.49

$2.26 TND 6.57

-1.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.97 TND 8.64

$2.36 TND 6.86

25.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 TND 3.08

$1.05 TND 3.06

0.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 TND 1.99

$0.69 TND 2.00

-1.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 TND 2.29

$0.70 TND 2.04

12.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 TND 2.10

$0.77 TND 2.25

-6.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 TND 1.41

$0.48 TND 1.39

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 TND 0.89

$0.25 TND 0.73

24.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.49 TND 10.14

$3.49 TND 10.13

Wine (Bottle)

$6.77 TND 19.69

$7.70 TND 22.37

-12.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 TND 3.29

$1.10 TND 3.20

2.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 TND 3.19

$1.05 TND 3.06

4.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 TND 0.60

$0.33 TND 0.96

-36.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.99 TND 29.05

$10.21 TND 29.68

-2.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.30 TND 0.86

$0.31 TND 0.91

-3.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 TND 0.96

$0.34 TND 0.98

-2.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.28 TND 21.17

$7.34 TND 21.35

-0.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 TND 2.42

$0.80 TND 2.32

3.75%

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

$36.1K TND 105.0K

$35.4K TND 103.0K

1.96%

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

$35.3K TND 102.6K

$34.9K TND 101.5K

1.06%

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

$45.10 TND 131

$44.88 TND 130

0.49%

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

$9.74 TND 28.30

$9.62 TND 27.96

1.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.69 TND 42.69

$14.89 TND 43.29

-1.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.92 TND 81.2

$24.01 TND 69.8

16.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.17 TND 20.85

$12.61 TND 36.64

-43.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.47 TND 13.00

$4.70 TND 13.66

-4.89%

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

$108 TND 314

-0.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,469 TND 7,177

$2,443 TND 7,103

1.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.94 TND 128

$23.95 TND 69.6

83.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.58 TND 127

$43.82 TND 127

-0.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 TND 297

$46.97 TND 137

117.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.4 TND 187

$64.3 TND 187

0.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$192 TND 560

$118 TND 342

63.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$131 TND 382

$135 TND 392

-2.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$327 TND 951

$381 TND 1,107

-14.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 TND 734

$273 TND 794

-7.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,020 TND 2,966

$1,148 TND 3,337

-11.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$657 TND 1,909

$686 TND 1,994

-4.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$321 TND 932

$337 TND 981

-5.01%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Kairouan: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $192 in Sfax versus $118 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 5% 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 $8.00 in Kairouan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $191 vs $180 – 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: $624 in Sfax, $558 in Kairouan – roughly 12% apart. Sfax costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $936 per month in Sfax and $838 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 2% less in Kairouan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $108 per month in Sfax and $108 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 $624 in Sfax and $558 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.