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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $624 in Bechar versus $845 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $989 in Bechar versus $1,323 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,354 in Bechar versus $1,802 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bechar costs roughly 26% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bechar 53% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.20 DZD 424

$1.95 ฿62.8

64.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.67 DZD 3,132

$18.43 ฿594

28.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.01 DZD 530

$7.50 ฿241

-46.53%

Cappuccino

$0.71 DZD 94.3

$1.93 ฿62.3

-63.21%

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

$0.60 DZD 80.1

$0.78 ฿25.08

-23.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 DZD 27.77

$0.32 ฿10.42

-34.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 DZD 260

$2.15 ฿69.2

-8.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 DZD 304

$3.71 ฿120

-38.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 DZD 131

$1.71 ฿55.2

-42.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.17 DZD 21.88

$1.56 ฿50.3

-89.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 DZD 216

$1.18 ฿38.06

38.14%

Eggs

$1.79 DZD 237

$1.98 ฿63.9

-9.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.11 DZD 1,206

$16.04 ฿517

-43.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.24 DZD 693

$3.17 ฿102

65.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.72 DZD 2,213

$10.94 ฿353

52.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 DZD 408

$2.63 ฿84.7

17.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 DZD 391

$1.17 ฿37.61

152.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 DZD 232

$1.65 ฿53.0

6.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 DZD 105

$1.54 ฿49.51

-48.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 DZD 73.4

$1.38 ฿44.34

-60.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 DZD 66.4

$1.17 ฿37.54

-57.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 DZD 86.3

$0.66 ฿21.25

-1.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 DZD 36.91

$0.51 ฿16.55

-45.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.78 DZD 367

$4.52 ฿146

-38.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.10 DZD 1,072

$18.32 ฿590

-55.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 DZD 170

$1.80 ฿57.9

-28.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 DZD 287

$3.18 ฿102

-31.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 DZD 30.31

$0.90 ฿28.97

-74.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.44 DZD 2,308

$19.00 ฿612

-8.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 DZD 87.2

$1.41 ฿45.50

-53.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 DZD 44.98

$1.31 ฿42.15

-74.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.18 DZD 686

$8.09 ฿261

-35.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 DZD 47.94

$1.28 ฿41.08

-71.88%

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

$32.9K DZD 4.3M

$21.3K ฿686.1K

54.35%

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

$33.7K DZD 4.5M

$21.7K ฿699.3K

55.29%

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

$40.22 DZD 5,323

$69.2 ฿2,230

-41.88%

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

$9.21 DZD 1,219

$13.97 ฿450

-34.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.80 DZD 2,223

$17.95 ฿578

-6.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.25 DZD 3,078

$42.31 ฿1,363

-45.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$5.24 DZD 694

$5.92 ฿191

-11.49%

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

$94.4 DZD 12.5K

$299 ฿9,640

-68.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,608 DZD 477.5K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-75.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 DZD 4,884

$56.2 ฿1,810

-34.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.33 DZD 6,132

$26.94 ฿868

71.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 DZD 9,835

$84.9 ฿2,735

-12.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.2 DZD 10.4K

$71.8 ฿2,314

8.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 DZD 26.2K

$435 ฿14.0K

-54.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 DZD 15.4K

$240 ฿7,727

-51.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 DZD 35.8K

$798 ฿25.7K

-66.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 DZD 23.9K

$498 ฿16.1K

-63.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

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 Bechar: April 22, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $198 in Bechar and $435 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24 in Bechar vs $18 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $209 vs $244, with Bechar 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

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

Bechar wins on cost – living expenses run 35% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bechar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $936 in Bechar and $1,267 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $198 in Bechar versus $435 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bechar – 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 $624 per month in Bechar versus $845 in Chiang Mai – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Bechar gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bechar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $624 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bechar hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bechar 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 Bechar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.