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: $617 in Bechar versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $967 in Bechar versus $1,360 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,318 in Bechar versus $1,867 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bechar costs roughly 28% less than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bechar 54% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.24 DZD 429

$2.04 ฿68.4

58.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.85 DZD 3,156

$18.71 ฿626

27.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.84 DZD 509

$7.86 ฿263

-51.15%

Cappuccino

$0.77 DZD 102

$2.03 ฿67.9

-62.07%

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

$0.61 DZD 80.5

$0.80 ฿26.71

-23.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 DZD 27.71

$0.35 ฿11.71

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 DZD 263

$2.14 ฿71.7

-7.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 DZD 322

$3.67 ฿123

-33.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 DZD 136

$1.73 ฿57.8

-40.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.16 DZD 20.97

$1.57 ฿52.5

-89.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 DZD 206

$1.20 ฿40.10

30.00%

Eggs

$1.79 DZD 237

$1.97 ฿66.0

-9.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 DZD 1,164

$16.23 ฿543

-45.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.31 DZD 703

$3.06 ฿102

73.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.29 DZD 2,157

$10.80 ฿361

50.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 DZD 424

$2.77 ฿92.6

15.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 DZD 389

$1.17 ฿39.05

151.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 DZD 225

$1.71 ฿57.1

-0.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 DZD 104

$1.59 ฿53.3

-50.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 DZD 72.8

$1.39 ฿46.63

-60.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 DZD 61.7

$1.16 ฿38.67

-59.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 DZD 86.0

$0.66 ฿22.11

-1.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 DZD 36.83

$0.52 ฿17.35

-46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 DZD 373

$4.65 ฿155

-39.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.63 DZD 877

$17.78 ฿595

-62.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 DZD 176

$1.79 ฿59.8

-25.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 DZD 275

$3.34 ฿112

-37.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 DZD 30.23

$0.91 ฿30.35

-74.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.49 DZD 2,315

$18.64 ฿624

-6.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 DZD 93.3

$1.41 ฿47.17

-49.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 DZD 44.19

$1.34 ฿44.82

-75.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.18 DZD 685

$8.11 ฿271

-36.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 DZD 44.09

$1.23 ฿41.27

-73.17%

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

$32.0K DZD 4.2M

$21.4K ฿717.0K

49.14%

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

$33.7K DZD 4.5M

$21.8K ฿730.0K

54.27%

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

$40.48 DZD 5,358

$71.3 ฿2,386

-43.25%

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

$9.40 DZD 1,244

$14.01 ฿469

-32.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.92 DZD 2,239

$17.93 ฿600

-5.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.15 DZD 3,064

$40.82 ฿1,365

-43.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.56 DZD 735

$5.72 ฿191

-2.80%

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

$95.9 DZD 12.7K

$308 ฿10.3K

-68.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,594 DZD 475.6K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-75.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.41 DZD 4,951

$55.8 ฿1,865

-32.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.30 DZD 5,996

$26.04 ฿871

73.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 DZD 9,860

$84.8 ฿2,837

-12.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.3 DZD 10.1K

$71.0 ฿2,375

7.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$194 DZD 25.7K

$423 ฿14.2K

-54.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$113 DZD 15.0K

$242 ฿8,110

-53.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 DZD 35.8K

$797 ฿26.7K

-66.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 DZD 24.3K

$507 ฿17.0K

-63.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,086 DZD 143.7K

$1,918 ฿64.2K

-43.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,240 DZD 164.1K

$1,464 ฿49.0K

-15.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $194 in Bechar and $423 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $24.00 in Bechar vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 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 38% 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 $925 in Bechar and $1,279 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: $194 in Bechar versus $423 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $617 per month in Bechar versus $852 in Chiang Mai – a 38% 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 $617 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 38% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.