🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $620 in Annaba versus $947 in Chiang Mai.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,006 in Annaba versus $1,411 in Chiang Mai.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,393 in Annaba versus $1,874 in Chiang Mai.
🌍Living in Annaba costs roughly 35% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Annaba55% lower, Chiang Mai31% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Annaba
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.93DZD 388
$2.08฿68.6
40.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.27DZD 4,276
$19.64฿646
64.31%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.33DZD 839
$5.65฿186
12.04%
Cappuccino
$0.70DZD 93.0
$1.81฿59.4
-61.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.79DZD 105
$0.71฿23.45
11.27%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27DZD 35.86
$0.32฿10.38
-15.62%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.36DZD 180
$2.24฿73.6
-39.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89DZD 250
$3.63฿119
-47.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Annaba
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.92DZD 122
$1.96฿64.4
-53.06%
White Bread(500g)
$0.28DZD 37.49
$1.50฿49.39
-81.33%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.67DZD 221
$1.34฿43.93
24.63%
Eggs
$2.04DZD 270
$2.26฿74.5
-9.73%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.19DZD 821
$16.26฿535
-61.93%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.02DZD 665
$2.95฿97.1
70.17%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.39DZD 2,703
$9.94฿327
105.13%
Apples(1kg)
$2.08DZD 276
$2.57฿84.6
-19.07%
Banana(1kg)
$3.56DZD 472
$1.06฿34.73
235.85%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.16DZD 153
$1.61฿53.0
-27.95%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.80DZD 107
$1.52฿49.97
-47.37%
Potato(1kg)
$0.68DZD 90.1
$1.27฿41.77
-46.46%
Onion(1kg)
$0.38DZD 49.82
$1.07฿35.06
-64.49%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.51DZD 68.0
$0.72฿23.68
-29.17%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.34DZD 44.67
$0.51฿16.72
-33.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.13DZD 415
$4.19฿138
-25.30%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.30DZD 835
$17.87฿587
-64.75%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27DZD 168
$1.69฿55.7
-24.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21DZD 292
$2.84฿93.3
-22.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Annaba
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.16DZD 21.60
$0.93฿30.43
-82.80%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$6.55DZD 868
$53.9฿1,771
-87.84%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.56DZD 74.7
$1.23฿40.59
-54.47%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.44DZD 58.8
$0.58฿18.96
-24.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.17DZD 685
$2.42฿79.7
113.64%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.38DZD 50.7
$1.41฿46.43
-73.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.1KDZD 4.8M
$21.4K฿705.1K
68.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.2KDZD 4.7M
$27.3K฿898.7K
28.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Annaba
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$51.6DZD 6,837
$63.7฿2,093
-18.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.01DZD 1,194
$12.85฿423
-29.88%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.32DZD 2,826
$20.22฿665
5.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Annaba
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$21.80DZD 2,888
$38.74฿1,274
-43.73%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.57DZD 606
$3.97฿130
15.11%
Cinema Ticket
$6.52DZD 864
$6.74฿222
-3.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Annaba
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$39.04DZD 5,174
$778฿25.6K
-94.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,368DZD 446.3K
$14.6K฿480.4K
-76.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Annaba
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$33.77DZD 4,475
$54.3฿1,785
-37.80%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.86DZD 5,546
$25.45฿837
64.48%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$71.5DZD 9,471
$94.3฿3,102
-24.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.1DZD 11.7K
$73.4฿2,415
19.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Annaba
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$170DZD 22.6K
$490฿16.1K
-65.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$123DZD 16.3K
$289฿9,512
-57.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$299DZD 39.6K
$894฿29.4K
-66.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$210DZD 27.8K
$517฿17.0K
-59.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$935DZD 123.8K
$1,955฿64.3K
-52.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$643DZD 85.2K
$1,477฿48.6K
-56.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Annaba
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$316DZD 41.9K
$602฿19.8K
-47.53%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.75
5.57
3.23%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Annaba: September 1, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $170 in Annaba and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Chiang Mai pays 91% 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: $32.00 in Annaba vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 vs $240, with Annaba 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
Annaba vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chiang Mai cheaper than Annaba?
Annaba is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 53% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Annaba or Chiang Mai?
On paper, salaries run 91% 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.
What is the rent difference between Annaba and Chiang Mai?
Rent for a central apartment: $170 in Annaba versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Annaba runs roughly 722% less than in Chiang Mai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $39.04 in Annaba versus $778 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Annaba or in Chiang Mai?
At $620 in Annaba versus $947 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Annaba but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Annaba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Annaba or Chiang Mai more family-friendly?
For families, Annaba 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.
Which city is safer, Annaba or Chiang Mai?
Safety-wise, Annaba 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Annaba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.