Cost of Living Comparison Between Sfax and Msaken Cost of Living Comparison Between Sfax and Msaken

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $649 in Sfax versus $672 in Msaken.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,001 in Sfax versus $1,081 in Msaken.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,353 in Sfax versus $1,490 in Msaken.

Living in Sfax costs roughly 3% less than in Msaken, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sfax 53% lower, Msaken 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.43 TND 9.92

$5.05 TND 14.59

-32.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.68 TND 59.8

$22.27 TND 64.4

-7.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.04 TND 14.57

$6.08 TND 17.60

-17.11%

Cappuccino

$0.76 TND 2.21

$1.05 TND 3.03

-27.62%

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

$0.60 TND 1.74

$0.75 TND 2.18

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 TND 0.79

$0.38 TND 1.11

-28.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 TND 4.55

$1.69 TND 4.89

-7.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 TND 6.08

$2.74 TND 7.93

-23.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.51 TND 1.48

$0.49 TND 1.41

4.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 TND 0.66

$0.33 TND 0.96

-30.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 TND 4.02

$1.79 TND 5.18

-22.35%

Eggs

$1.67 TND 4.82

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.84 TND 37.12

$14.31 TND 41.37

-10.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 TND 16.45

$6.06 TND 17.52

-6.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.27 TND 41.28

$14.47 TND 41.86

-1.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 TND 5.17

$2.09 TND 6.04

-14.35%

Banana (1kg)

$3.24 TND 9.36

$3.80 TND 10.98

-14.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.08 TND 3.12

$1.11 TND 3.22

-2.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 TND 2.14

$0.74 TND 2.15

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 TND 2.21

$0.89 TND 2.58

-14.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 TND 2.25

$0.67 TND 1.93

16.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 TND 1.71

$0.43 TND 1.26

37.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 TND 0.94

$0.34 TND 1.00

-2.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 TND 11.47

$3.88 TND 11.22

2.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.64 TND 19.20

$5.92 TND 17.13

12.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 TND 3.31

$1.01 TND 2.93

13.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 TND 3.21

$1.41 TND 4.09

-21.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 TND 0.50

$0.32 TND 0.94

-46.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.28 TND 29.72

$10.14 TND 29.32

1.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 TND 0.89

$0.33 TND 0.95

-6.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 TND 1.02

$0.36 TND 1.03

-2.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.73 TND 22.36

$4.10 TND 11.87

88.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 TND 2.59

$0.83 TND 2.41

8.43%

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

$37.1K TND 107.3K

$39.8K TND 115.2K

-6.82%

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

$35.3K TND 102.0K

$37.7K TND 109.0K

-6.42%

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

$46.02 TND 133

$64.1 TND 185

-28.18%

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

$9.74 TND 28.16

$8.61 TND 24.91

13.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.80 TND 42.80

$20.62 TND 59.6

-28.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.02 TND 81.1

$21.63 TND 62.6

29.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.20 TND 20.83

$14.42 TND 41.70

-50.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 TND 13.28

$6.36 TND 18.39

-27.83%

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

$99.7 TND 288

$101 TND 292

-1.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,463 TND 7,124

$3,069 TND 8,875

-19.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.92 TND 124

$48.35 TND 140

-11.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.95 TND 107

$67.6 TND 196

-45.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 TND 336

$121 TND 351

-4.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.6 TND 195

$87.1 TND 252

-22.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$194 TND 562

$111 TND 320

75.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 TND 406

$95.5 TND 276

46.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$339 TND 982

$203 TND 587

67.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 TND 626

$156 TND 452

38.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,037 TND 2,998

$985 TND 2,848

5.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$746 TND 2,159

$628 TND 1,817

18.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$332 TND 960

$247 TND 715

34.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.6

10.28

32.30%

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

Last update for Sfax: August 31, 2026

Last update for Msaken: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $194 in Sfax and $111 in Msaken. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sfax pays 34% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21.00 in Sfax vs $22.00 in Msaken for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $210 per month, with Sfax cheaper across the board.

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 Msaken: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sfax is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 34% higher in Sfax, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $194 in Sfax versus $111 in Msaken. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sfax runs roughly 1% less than in Msaken. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $99.7 in Sfax versus $101 in Msaken. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Sfax gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Sfax and Msaken are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Sfax gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Msaken. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.