Cost of Living Comparison Between Ain Defla and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Ain Defla and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $581 in Ain Defla versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $936 in Ain Defla versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,291 in Ain Defla versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Ain Defla costs roughly 33% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ain Defla 57% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 DZD 257

$1.96 ฿65.9

-1.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.65 DZD 3,131

$18.35 ฿617

28.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.41 DZD 319

$7.48 ฿252

-67.78%

Cappuccino

$0.23 DZD 30.40

$2.02 ฿67.8

-88.61%

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

$0.38 DZD 49.76

$0.85 ฿28.52

-55.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 DZD 27.80

$0.36 ฿11.97

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 DZD 262

$2.14 ฿71.9

-7.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 DZD 312

$3.59 ฿121

-34.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 DZD 132

$1.65 ฿55.5

-39.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.14 DZD 18.94

$1.57 ฿52.7

-91.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 DZD 230

$1.19 ฿40.05

46.22%

Eggs

$1.86 DZD 246

$1.94 ฿65.1

-4.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.74 DZD 759

$16.19 ฿545

-64.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 DZD 720

$2.99 ฿101

81.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 DZD 2,131

$10.94 ฿368

47.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 DZD 398

$2.71 ฿91.2

10.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 DZD 379

$1.17 ฿39.27

144.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 DZD 227

$1.69 ฿56.8

1.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.83 DZD 109

$1.60 ฿54.0

-48.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 DZD 79.9

$1.38 ฿46.56

-56.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 DZD 65.4

$1.20 ฿40.47

-59.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 DZD 88.4

$0.67 ฿22.51

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 DZD 36.84

$0.56 ฿18.74

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 DZD 361

$4.64 ฿156

-41.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.09 DZD 1,204

$17.62 ฿593

-48.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 DZD 172

$1.86 ฿62.6

-30.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 DZD 288

$3.30 ฿111

-33.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 DZD 33.34

$0.88 ฿29.70

-71.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.71 DZD 2,346

$19.34 ฿651

-8.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 DZD 93.0

$1.36 ฿45.92

-48.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 DZD 48.28

$1.34 ฿45.00

-73.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.67 DZD 751

$8.21 ฿276

-30.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.37 DZD 48.36

$1.22 ฿41.20

-69.67%

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

$36.2K DZD 4.8M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

69.40%

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

$34.0K DZD 4.5M

$22.5K ฿758.1K

50.71%

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

$40.92 DZD 5,418

$70.7 ฿2,378

-42.10%

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

$9.19 DZD 1,218

$14.04 ฿472

-34.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.25 DZD 1,755

$17.49 ฿589

-24.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.08 DZD 3,057

$42.15 ฿1,418

-45.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$6.08 DZD 806

$5.92 ฿199

2.70%

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

$50.3 DZD 6,660

$309 ฿10.4K

-83.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,649 DZD 483.1K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-75.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.24 DZD 4,799

$55.8 ฿1,876

-35.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.09 DZD 5,970

$26.11 ฿879

72.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.8 DZD 9,907

$83.0 ฿2,793

-9.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.8 DZD 10.0K

$70.5 ฿2,371

7.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$195 DZD 25.8K

$432 ฿14.5K

-54.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 DZD 15.6K

$239 ฿8,040

-50.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 DZD 36.0K

$822 ฿27.7K

-66.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 DZD 24.0K

$512 ฿17.2K

-64.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,113 DZD 147.3K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-41.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,155 DZD 153.0K

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-21.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$441 DZD 58.4K

$579 ฿19.5K

-23.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.42

8.40%

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

Last update for Ain Defla: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $195 in Ain Defla and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 31% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $24.00 in Ain Defla vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $199 vs $243, with Ain Defla cheaper for home cooking.

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

Ain Defla vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ain Defla is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 31% lower in Chiang Mai. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $195 in Ain Defla versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ain Defla – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $581 per month in Ain Defla versus $861 in Chiang Mai – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Ain Defla gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Ain Defla is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ain Defla and Chiang Mai 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 Ain Defla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.