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 $245 in Mali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $991 in Tunisia versus $406 in Mali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,363 in Tunisia versus $566 in Mali.

Living in Tunisia is roughly 153% more expensive than Mali on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Tunisia 54% lower, Mali 82% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tunisia
Mali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.33 TND 9.67
$6.86 F CFA 3,898
-51.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.48 TND 59.5
$37.86 F CFA 21.5K
-45.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.14 TND 14.93
$6.39 F CFA 3,632
-19.56%
Cappuccino
$0.98 TND 2.86
$1.88 F CFA 1,067
-47.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.67 TND 1.95
$0.80 F CFA 454
-16.25%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29 TND 0.85
$0.57 F CFA 322
-49.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.67 TND 4.86
$2.36 F CFA 1,341
-29.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42 TND 7.04
$21.13 F CFA 12.0K
-88.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tunisia
Mali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.51 TND 1.49
$2.37 F CFA 1,346
-78.48%
White Bread (500g)
$0.18 TND 0.52
$3.48 F CFA 1,976
-94.83%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 TND 4.37
-
-
Eggs
$1.62 TND 4.71
$4.53 F CFA 2,573
-64.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.79 TND 31.34
$17.54 F CFA 9,966
-38.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.02 TND 17.50
$17.16 F CFA 9,748
-64.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.05 TND 40.83
$13.31 F CFA 7,560
5.56%
Apples (1kg)
$1.94 TND 5.64
$3.02 F CFA 1,717
-35.76%
Banana (1kg)
$2.88 TND 8.36
$1.48 F CFA 839
94.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.11 TND 3.22
$2.84 F CFA 1,616
-60.92%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.76 TND 2.21
$2.38 F CFA 1,355
-68.07%
Potato (1kg)
$0.68 TND 1.98
$1.65 F CFA 937
-58.79%
Onion (1kg)
$0.62 TND 1.80
$1.76 F CFA 998
-64.77%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.47 TND 1.37
$0.09 F CFA 53.5
422.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.30 TND 0.86
$2.30 F CFA 1,305
-86.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.46 TND 10.05
$0.95 F CFA 538
264.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.90 TND 20.05
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 TND 3.76
$1.53 F CFA 867
-15.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 TND 3.95
$1.30 F CFA 740
4.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Tunisia
Mali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.32 TND 0.94
$4.58 F CFA 2,601
-93.01%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.98 TND 29.00
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.31 TND 0.90
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.31 TND 0.90
$1.22 F CFA 690
-74.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.00 TND 11.63
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.87 TND 2.53
$1.16 F CFA 659
-25.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$41.0K TND 119.1K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.1K TND 107.7K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tunisia
Mali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$52.7 TND 153
$148 F CFA 84.3K
-64.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.18 TND 29.57
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.02 TND 58.2
$58.4 F CFA 33.2K
-65.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tunisia
Mali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$27.70 TND 80.5
$68.5 F CFA 38.9K
-59.55%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.53 TND 36.39
$4.17 F CFA 2,370
200.48%
Cinema Ticket
$5.34 TND 15.53
$5.78 F CFA 3,282
-7.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tunisia
Mali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$94.7 TND 275
$79.7 F CFA 45.3K
18.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,716 TND 7,891
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tunisia
Mali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.47 TND 123
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.4 TND 152
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.1 TND 285
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.4 TND 213
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tunisia
Mali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$235 TND 682
$175 F CFA 99.6K
33.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$153 TND 446
$79.4 F CFA 45.1K
93.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$398 TND 1,157
$413 F CFA 234.9K
-3.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$275 TND 798
$305 F CFA 173.4K
-9.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,028 TND 2,986
$10.3K F CFA 5.9M
-90.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$642 TND 1,864
$851 F CFA 483.7K
-24.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tunisia
Mali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$330 TND 958
$264 F CFA 150.2K
24.83%
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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mali: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $198 in Tunisia, $43.00 in Mali. Capital cities: $280 in Tunis vs $173 in Bamako.

National salary averages: $315 in Tunisia, $260 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 90% more in Tunisia.

Salaries are 21% higher in Tunisia, giving Mali stronger purchasing power.

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 $446 per month in Mali and $614 in Tunisia, there's a 38% 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?
Mali is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 beats 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 vs Tunisia?
In Mali, $1,200 covers most cities easily. In Tunisia, it works in regional areas but 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 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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