Cost of Living Comparison Between Alges and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Alges and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,043 per month in Alges vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,916 per month in Alges vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,790 per month in Alges vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Alges costs about 136% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Alges sits 52% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.70 €11.79

$1.94 ฿63.5

606.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 €45.29

$18.64 ฿609

182.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 €8.15

$7.82 ฿255

21.10%

Cappuccino

$2.96 €2.55

$1.95 ฿63.8

51.79%

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

$2.21 €1.91

$0.85 ฿27.77

160.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.97

$0.35 ฿11.58

554.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 €1.97

$2.13 ฿69.6

7.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 €3.01

$3.73 ฿122

-6.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 €0.97

$1.71 ฿56.0

-34.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$1.63 ฿53.2

21.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 €1.93

$1.14 ฿37.15

97.37%

Eggs

$3.41 €2.94

$1.93 ฿63.1

76.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.23 €9.67

$16.21 ฿530

-30.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.86 €6.77

$3.12 ฿102

151.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.32 €12.33

$10.90 ฿356

31.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 €2.31

$2.75 ฿90.0

-2.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 €1.24

$1.21 ฿39.52

19.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.62 ฿53.0

9.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.04 €2.62

$1.59 ฿51.8

91.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.40 ฿45.70

7.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$1.17 ฿38.17

90.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 €0.75

$0.66 ฿21.60

31.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 €0.71

$0.53 ฿17.22

54.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.10 €5.25

$4.69 ฿153

30.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.29 €4.55

$18.66 ฿609

-71.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.13

$1.80 ฿58.8

-26.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 €2.71

$3.23 ฿106

-2.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.97

$0.90 ฿29.26

154.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.44 €39.98

$19.21 ฿628

141.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.75 €4.09

$1.41 ฿45.91

236.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 €0.69

$1.29 ฿42.12

-37.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.46 €15.03

$7.84 ฿256

122.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 €1.62

$1.27 ฿41.58

48.03%

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

$35.2K €30.3K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

65.60%

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

$38.7K €33.3K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

74.03%

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

$165 €142

$69.1 ฿2,256

138.40%

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

$23.16 €19.94

$14.08 ฿460

64.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.0 €43.94

$18.00 ฿588

183.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.50 €40.04

$41.06 ฿1,341

13.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.20 €7.92

$6.96 ฿227

32.18%

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 €6.83

$5.92 ฿193

33.95%

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

$744 €641

$299 ฿9,766

148.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,221 €7,078

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-45.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.0 €75.8

$54.7 ฿1,787

60.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.88 €30.03

$26.77 ฿874

30.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 €78.7

$85.0 ฿2,776

7.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.9 €79.1

$70.6 ฿2,306

30.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,282 €1,104

$428 ฿14.0K

199.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 €929

$237 ฿7,752

354.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,082 €1,793

$801 ฿26.2K

159.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,604 €1,381

$515 ฿16.8K

211.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,301 €2,842

$1,975 ฿64.5K

67.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,389 €2,056

$1,475 ฿48.2K

61.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,278 €1,100

$617 ฿20.2K

106.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

0.20%

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

Last update for Alges: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,282 in Alges versus $428 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.

Salaries run about 107% higher in Alges, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Alges versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $260 vs $246 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Alges vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,043 in Alges, $866 in Chiang Mai – roughly 136% apart. Alges costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,065 per month in Alges and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $744 per month in Alges and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Alges, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Alges at $2,043. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Alges it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Alges has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $866 in Chiang Mai to $2,043 in Alges. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Alges makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.