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: $582 in Ain Defla versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $938 in Ain Defla versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,295 in Ain Defla versus $1,835 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 DZD 260

$1.94 ฿63.5

1.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.10 DZD 3,197

$18.64 ฿609

29.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.33 DZD 309

$7.82 ฿255

-70.20%

Cappuccino

$0.23 DZD 30.43

$1.95 ฿63.8

-88.21%

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

$0.37 DZD 49.20

$0.85 ฿27.77

-56.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 DZD 27.74

$0.35 ฿11.58

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 DZD 253

$2.13 ฿69.6

-10.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 DZD 311

$3.73 ฿122

-37.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 DZD 138

$1.71 ฿56.0

-39.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.13 DZD 17.61

$1.63 ฿53.2

-92.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 DZD 241

$1.14 ฿37.15

58.77%

Eggs

$1.79 DZD 237

$1.93 ฿63.1

-7.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.73 DZD 760

$16.21 ฿530

-64.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.45 DZD 723

$3.12 ฿102

74.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.79 DZD 2,094

$10.90 ฿356

44.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 DZD 383

$2.75 ฿90.0

5.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 DZD 389

$1.21 ฿39.52

142.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 DZD 229

$1.62 ฿53.0

6.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 DZD 113

$1.59 ฿51.8

-46.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 DZD 78.7

$1.40 ฿45.70

-57.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 DZD 66.3

$1.17 ฿38.17

-57.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 DZD 95.2

$0.66 ฿21.60

9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 DZD 39.95

$0.53 ฿17.22

-43.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.77 DZD 368

$4.69 ฿153

-40.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.73 DZD 1,291

$18.66 ฿609

-47.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 DZD 177

$1.80 ฿58.8

-26.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 DZD 277

$3.23 ฿106

-35.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 DZD 33.33

$0.90 ฿29.26

-72.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.30 DZD 2,295

$19.21 ฿628

-9.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 DZD 87.4

$1.41 ฿45.91

-53.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 DZD 48.65

$1.29 ฿42.12

-71.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 DZD 720

$7.84 ฿256

-30.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 DZD 44.84

$1.27 ฿41.58

-73.23%

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

$36.4K DZD 4.8M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

71.27%

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

$34.1K DZD 4.5M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

53.73%

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

$41.14 DZD 5,456

$69.1 ฿2,256

-40.44%

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

$9.32 DZD 1,236

$14.08 ฿460

-33.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.70 DZD 1,817

$18.00 ฿588

-23.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.56 DZD 3,125

$41.06 ฿1,341

-42.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$6.15 DZD 816

$5.92 ฿193

3.89%

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

$49.91 DZD 6,619

$299 ฿9,766

-83.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,592 DZD 476.4K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-75.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.35 DZD 4,953

$54.7 ฿1,787

-31.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.15 DZD 6,121

$26.77 ฿874

72.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.7 DZD 10.0K

$85.0 ฿2,776

-10.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 DZD 10.4K

$70.6 ฿2,306

11.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$192 DZD 25.5K

$428 ฿14.0K

-55.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$113 DZD 15.0K

$237 ฿7,752

-52.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 DZD 35.7K

$801 ฿26.2K

-66.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 DZD 24.8K

$515 ฿16.8K

-63.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,124 DZD 149.1K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-43.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,120 DZD 148.6K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-24.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$434 DZD 57.6K

$617 ฿20.2K

-29.67%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $192 in Ain Defla and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 42% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $201 vs $246, 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, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Chiang Mai earns 42% less. 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: $192 in Ain Defla versus $428 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $582 per month in Ain Defla versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 49% 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 49% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.