🙂A single person spends $605 per month in Abalessa vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $979 per month in Abalessa vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,352 per month in Abalessa vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂Abalessa is about 29% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Abalessa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Abalessa55% lower, Chiang Mai36% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Abalessa
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.17DZD 419
$2.04฿68.2
55.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.39DZD 3,093
$18.71฿624
25.01%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.01DZD 531
$7.86฿262
-48.98%
Cappuccino
$0.77DZD 102
$2.03฿67.7
-62.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.60DZD 79.4
$0.80฿26.64
-25.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.23DZD 30.44
$0.35฿11.68
-34.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.00DZD 265
$2.14฿71.5
-6.54%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40DZD 317
$3.67฿122
-34.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Abalessa
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.02DZD 135
$1.73฿57.6
-41.04%
White Bread(500g)
$0.14DZD 18.11
$1.57฿52.4
-91.08%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63DZD 215
$1.20฿39.99
35.83%
Eggs
$1.85DZD 245
$1.97฿65.8
-6.09%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.90DZD 1,177
$16.23฿541
-45.16%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.33DZD 705
$3.06฿102
74.18%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.70DZD 2,208
$10.80฿360
54.63%
Apples(1kg)
$3.17DZD 419
$2.77฿92.3
14.44%
Banana(1kg)
$2.84DZD 375
$1.17฿38.94
142.74%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.69DZD 224
$1.71฿57.0
-1.17%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.79DZD 105
$1.59฿53.2
-50.31%
Potato(1kg)
$0.56DZD 73.6
$1.39฿46.51
-59.71%
Onion(1kg)
$0.46DZD 60.8
$1.16฿38.56
-60.34%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.60DZD 79.9
$0.66฿22.05
-9.09%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.30DZD 39.99
$0.52฿17.31
-42.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.70DZD 357
$4.65฿155
-41.94%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.75DZD 1,025
$17.78฿593
-56.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29DZD 171
$1.79฿59.6
-27.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06DZD 272
$3.34฿111
-38.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Abalessa
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.25DZD 33.18
$0.91฿30.27
-72.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$17.44DZD 2,306
$18.64฿622
-6.44%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.70DZD 93.1
$1.41฿47.04
-50.35%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.33DZD 44.04
$1.34฿44.70
-75.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.17DZD 684
$8.11฿270
-36.25%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.34DZD 44.47
$1.23฿41.16
-72.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.8KDZD 4.2M
$21.4K฿715.1K
48.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0KDZD 4.4M
$21.8K฿728.0K
51.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Abalessa
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$41.10DZD 5,434
$71.3฿2,379
-42.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.58DZD 1,267
$14.01฿467
-31.62%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.10DZD 2,260
$17.93฿598
-4.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Abalessa
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$23.35DZD 3,087
$40.82฿1,362
-42.80%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.88฿230
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.49DZD 726
$5.72฿191
-4.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Abalessa
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$92.3DZD 12.2K
$308฿10.3K
-70.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,658DZD 483.6K
$14.7K฿489.7K
-75.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Abalessa
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$37.02DZD 4,895
$55.8฿1,860
-33.62%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.41DZD 6,005
$26.04฿869
74.39%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.4DZD 10.1K
$84.8฿2,829
-9.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.3DZD 10.3K
$71.0฿2,368
10.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Abalessa
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$194DZD 25.6K
$423฿14.1K
-54.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$114DZD 15.0K
$242฿8,088
-53.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$274DZD 36.3K
$797฿26.6K
-65.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$185DZD 24.5K
$507฿16.9K
-63.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$990DZD 130.9K
$1,918฿64.0K
-48.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,211DZD 160.2K
$1,464฿48.8K
-17.26%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Abalessa
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$595฿19.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.42
5
8.40%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Abalessa: July 28, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $194 in Abalessa versus $423 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Abalessa versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $207 in Abalessa vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Abalessa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
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
Abalessa vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Abalessa or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 41% more than Abalessa, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Abalessa and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $908 per month in Abalessa and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Abalessa or Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Abalessa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Abalessa or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 18% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
How do dining costs compare in Abalessa and in Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Abalessa and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $800/month in Abalessa or in Chiang Mai?
$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $605 in Abalessa and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Abalessa or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Abalessa costs $605 versus $852 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Abalessa compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Abalessa or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Abalessa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.