Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tunis and Kairouan

For one person, living is cheaper in Kairouan: $634 a month against $857 in Tunis, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Tunis, Tunisia
Kairouan, Tunisia
Tunis
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$857
/mo nomad
Kairouan
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$634
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tunis and in Kairouan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tunis and in Kairouan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $857 per month in Tunis vs $634 in Kairouan, rent included.

  • Tunis $857
  • Kairouan $634

A couple spends around $1,321 per month in Tunis vs $975 in Kairouan, rent included.

  • Tunis $1,321
  • Kairouan $975

A family of three spends $1,786 per month in Tunis vs $1,315 in Kairouan, rent included.

  • Tunis $1,786
  • Kairouan $1,315

Tunis costs about 35% more than Kairouan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Tunis and Kairouan are more affordable than the global median – Tunis 37% lower, Kairouan 53% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tunis
Kairouan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.09 TND 15.29
$2.71 TND 8.14
87.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.52 TND 67.7
$16.14 TND 48.49
39.53%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.08 TND 18.26
$6.10 TND 18.33
-0.33%
Cappuccino
$1.15 TND 3.45
$0.98 TND 2.95
17.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 TND 2.48
$0.85 TND 2.56
-2.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36 TND 1.07
$0.35 TND 1.05
2.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.68 TND 5.03
$1.71 TND 5.14
-1.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 TND 7.90
$2.65 TND 7.96
-0.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tunis
Kairouan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.48 TND 1.44
$0.49 TND 1.48
-2.04%
White Bread (500g)
$0.35 TND 1.05
$0.09 TND 0.27
288.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.69 TND 5.06
$1.72 TND 5.16
-1.74%
Eggs
$1.76 TND 5.29
$1.52 TND 4.58
15.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.06 TND 30.21
$9.89 TND 29.70
1.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.03 TND 18.11
$5.52 TND 16.57
9.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.32 TND 55.0
$11.96 TND 35.93
53.18%
Apples (1kg)
$2.09 TND 6.29
$2.14 TND 6.44
-2.34%
Banana (1kg)
$6.30 TND 18.92
$2.27 TND 6.83
177.53%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.25 TND 3.74
$1.16 TND 3.48
7.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.80 TND 2.39
$0.81 TND 2.44
-1.23%
Potato (1kg)
$0.83 TND 2.50
$0.65 TND 1.94
27.69%
Onion (1kg)
$0.65 TND 1.97
$0.64 TND 1.93
1.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.51 TND 1.53
$0.50 TND 1.49
2.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.33 TND 1.00
$0.24 TND 0.72
37.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.56 TND 10.71
$3.33 TND 9.99
6.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.48 TND 19.47
$6.74 TND 20.26
-3.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 TND 3.69
$1.23 TND 3.69
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 TND 4.57
$1.46 TND 4.37
4.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Tunis
Kairouan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.32 TND 0.95
$0.33 TND 0.98
-3.03%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.70 TND 47.16
$9.96 TND 29.93
57.63%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.31 TND 0.93
$0.29 TND 0.87
6.90%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.29 TND 0.87
$0.31 TND 0.94
-6.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.77 TND 5.31
$1.78 TND 5.36
-0.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.87 TND 2.61
$0.77 TND 2.32
12.99%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.6K TND 115.8K
$38.9K TND 116.8K
-0.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.8K TND 107.5K
$36.5K TND 109.8K
-2.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tunis
Kairouan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$59.3 TND 178
$59.9 TND 180
-0.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.52 TND 25.60
$8.65 TND 25.99
-1.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.30 TND 64.0
$19.80 TND 59.5
7.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tunis
Kairouan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.70 TND 101
$23.85 TND 71.7
41.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.51 TND 37.57
$12.24 TND 36.78
2.21%
Cinema Ticket
$5.84 TND 17.55
$4.78 TND 14.35
22.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tunis
Kairouan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$107 TND 322
$106 TND 319
0.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,179 TND 9,551
$3,181 TND 9,558
-0.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tunis
Kairouan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.74 TND 134
$23.41 TND 70.4
91.11%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$61.0 TND 183
$61.7 TND 185
-1.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 TND 307
$46.11 TND 139
121.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$81.5 TND 245
$84.3 TND 253
-3.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tunis
Kairouan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$385 TND 1,157
$118 TND 355
225.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$256 TND 769
$156 TND 470
63.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$654 TND 1,965
$366 TND 1,099
78.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$418 TND 1,257
$269 TND 808
55.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,478 TND 4,441
$963 TND 2,893
53.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$794 TND 2,385
$621 TND 1,864
27.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tunis
Kairouan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$360 TND 1,081
$328 TND 986
9.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.65
10.65
-

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

Last update for Tunis: October 25, 2026

Last update for Kairouan: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tunis
$256
Kairouan
$156 38.9% $99
Groceries & Markets
Tunis
$227
Kairouan
$176 22.5% $51
Clothing & Footwear
Tunis
$130
Kairouan
$97 25.5% $33
Eating Out
Tunis
$91
Kairouan
$70 22.7% $21
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tunis
$89
Kairouan
$88 0.9% $0.8
Sport & Entertainment
Tunis
$45
Kairouan
$33 26.4% $12
Getting Around
Tunis
$19
Kairouan
$13 29.9% $5.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $385 in Tunis 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 10% higher in Tunis, 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 $23 in Tunis versus $16 in Kairouan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $227 vs $176 – making Kairouan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇳 Tunis
🇹🇳 Kairouan
🕒 Local time
00:11 12:11 AM
00:11 12:11 AM
Same time as Tunis
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
728,453 Capital
139,070
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to TND – Tunisian Dinar Converter

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3 TND (1 TND = 0.333 USD). 1 EUR = 3.35 TND (1 TND = 0.298 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tunis Kairouan 130 km
From you
  • Tunis
  • Kairouan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Tunis vs Kairouan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Tunis and in Kairouan compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $857 in Tunis, $634 in Kairouan – Kairouan comes out roughly 26% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Tunis compared to Kairouan?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,285 per month in Tunis and $951 in Kairouan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Tunis and Kairouan?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kairouan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $118 there versus $385 in Tunis.
How do commuting costs compare in Tunis and in Kairouan?
Public transport costs about 37% less in Kairouan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Tunis and Kairouan?
Kindergarten costs $107 per month in Tunis and $106 in Kairouan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How far does $1,200 go in Tunis compared to Kairouan?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $857 in Tunis and $634 in Kairouan, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
How does quality of life compare between Tunis and Kairouan?
It depends on your priorities. Tunis has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $634 in Kairouan to $857 in Tunis. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Tunis and Kairouan?
If budget matters most, go with Kairouan. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tunis makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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