Cost of Living Comparison Between Tunisia and Mali Cost of Living Comparison Between Tunisia and Mali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $619 in Tunisia versus $251 in Mali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $992 in Tunisia versus $416 in Mali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,365 in Tunisia versus $580 in Mali.

Living in Tunisia is roughly 147% more expensive than in Mali on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Tunisia 53% lower, Mali 81% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tunisia
Mali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.44 TND 10.14
$6.79 F CFA 3,881
-49.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.06 TND 59.2
$37.48 F CFA 21.4K
-46.48%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.01 TND 14.78
$6.57 F CFA 3,755
-23.74%
Cappuccino
$0.97 TND 2.86
$1.92 F CFA 1,097
-49.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62 TND 1.82
$0.80 F CFA 457
-22.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29 TND 0.86
$0.59 F CFA 338
-50.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.72 TND 5.09
$2.42 F CFA 1,381
-28.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35 TND 6.92
$20.70 F CFA 11.8K
-88.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tunisia
Mali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.51 TND 1.49
$2.38 F CFA 1,358
-78.57%
White Bread (500g)
$0.18 TND 0.54
$3.34 F CFA 1,907
-94.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 TND 4.62
-
-
Eggs
$1.64 TND 4.84
$4.49 F CFA 2,564
-63.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.79 TND 31.85
$17.53 F CFA 10.0K
-38.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.10 TND 18.01
$17.25 F CFA 9,861
-64.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.17 TND 41.83
$13.14 F CFA 7,509
7.84%
Apples (1kg)
$1.91 TND 5.63
$3.14 F CFA 1,793
-39.17%
Banana (1kg)
$3.00 TND 8.86
$1.46 F CFA 835
105.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.11 TND 3.28
$2.77 F CFA 1,586
-59.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.78 TND 2.30
$2.27 F CFA 1,299
-65.64%
Potato (1kg)
$0.69 TND 2.05
$1.57 F CFA 898
-56.05%
Onion (1kg)
$0.62 TND 1.83
$1.86 F CFA 1,063
-66.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.48 TND 1.41
$0.09 F CFA 51.5
433.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.30 TND 0.88
$2.24 F CFA 1,282
-86.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.34 TND 9.85
$0.95 F CFA 543
251.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.69 TND 19.74
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 TND 3.68
$1.51 F CFA 864
-17.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 TND 4.00
$1.29 F CFA 736
5.43%
🚌 Getting Around
Tunisia
Mali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.35 TND 1.03
$4.61 F CFA 2,632
-92.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$10.24 TND 30.21
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.29 TND 0.85
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.31 TND 0.91
$1.25 F CFA 717
-75.20%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.14 TND 12.20
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.88 TND 2.59
$1.14 F CFA 650
-22.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.4K TND 119.2K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.0K TND 109.3K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tunisia
Mali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$54.3 TND 160
$151 F CFA 86.3K
-64.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.19 TND 30.07
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.61 TND 57.9
$56.5 F CFA 32.3K
-65.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tunisia
Mali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.04 TND 82.7
$66.5 F CFA 38.0K
-57.83%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.74 TND 37.61
$4.04 F CFA 2,308
215.35%
Cinema Ticket
$5.43 TND 16.03
$5.62 F CFA 3,212
-3.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tunisia
Mali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$95.6 TND 282
$79.9 F CFA 45.7K
19.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,733 TND 8,065
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tunisia
Mali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.03 TND 124
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.5 TND 155
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.8 TND 289
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.7 TND 218
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tunisia
Mali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$235 TND 694
$178 F CFA 101.7K
32.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$156 TND 460
$79.8 F CFA 45.6K
95.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$403 TND 1,189
$410 F CFA 234.2K
-1.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$272 TND 801
$304 F CFA 173.9K
-10.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,029 TND 3,038
$10.0K F CFA 5.7M
-89.74%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$619 TND 1,826
$850 F CFA 485.6K
-27.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tunisia
Mali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$321 TND 947
$257 F CFA 147.1K
24.71%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.33
0
-

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

Last update for Tunisia: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mali: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $198 in Tunisia, $43.00 in Mali. Capital cities: $278 in Tunis vs $173 in Bamako.

National salary averages: $310 in Tunisia, $261 in Mali. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 360% higher in Tunisia.

Dining out costs 111% more in Tunisia.

Salaries are 19% higher in Tunisia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Mali.

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
Tunisia vs Mali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Mali or Tunisia?
At $459 per month in Mali and $616 in Tunisia, there's a 34% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Mali or Tunisia?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Mali: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between Mali and Tunisia?
Rent in Tunisia is consistently higher than in Mali across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $1,200 go in Mali compared to Tunisia?
In Mali, $1,200 covers most cities easily; in Tunisia it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Mali and in Tunisia?
It depends on what you're after: Mali wins on affordability; Tunisia may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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