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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $583 per month in Biskra vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $936 per month in Biskra vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,289 per month in Biskra vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Biskra is about 33% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Biskra and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Biskra 56% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.91 DZD 386

$1.94 ฿63.5

50.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.97 DZD 3,842

$18.64 ฿609

55.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.88 DZD 515

$7.82 ฿255

-50.38%

Cappuccino

$1.36 DZD 181

$1.95 ฿63.8

-30.26%

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

$1.10 DZD 146

$0.85 ฿27.77

29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 DZD 44.21

$0.35 ฿11.58

-5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 DZD 256

$2.13 ฿69.6

-9.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 DZD 319

$3.73 ฿122

-35.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 DZD 190

$1.71 ฿56.0

-16.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.18 DZD 24.11

$1.63 ฿53.2

-88.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 DZD 186

$1.14 ฿37.15

22.81%

Eggs

$1.46 DZD 194

$1.93 ฿63.1

-24.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.26 DZD 830

$16.21 ฿530

-61.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 DZD 463

$3.12 ฿102

11.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.57 DZD 2,596

$10.90 ฿356

79.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 DZD 489

$2.75 ฿90.0

34.18%

Banana (1kg)

$3.33 DZD 441

$1.21 ฿39.52

175.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 DZD 238

$1.62 ฿53.0

11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 DZD 103

$1.59 ฿51.8

-50.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 DZD 101

$1.40 ฿45.70

-45.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 DZD 66.1

$1.17 ฿38.17

-57.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 DZD 51.9

$0.66 ฿21.60

-40.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 DZD 47.23

$0.53 ฿17.22

-32.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 DZD 517

$4.69 ฿153

-16.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 DZD 1,054

$18.66 ฿609

-57.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 DZD 180

$1.80 ฿58.8

-24.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 DZD 274

$3.23 ฿106

-36.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 DZD 29.04

$0.90 ฿29.26

-75.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.61 DZD 2,336

$19.21 ฿628

-8.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 DZD 152

$1.41 ฿45.91

-18.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 DZD 48.04

$1.29 ฿42.12

-72.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.20 DZD 689

$7.84 ฿256

-33.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.37 DZD 48.44

$1.27 ฿41.58

-70.87%

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

$32.6K DZD 4.3M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

53.06%

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

$33.1K DZD 4.4M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

49.13%

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

$40.62 DZD 5,387

$69.1 ฿2,256

-41.19%

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

$10.48 DZD 1,390

$14.08 ฿460

-25.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.49 DZD 1,392

$18.00 ฿588

-41.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 DZD 3,076

$41.06 ฿1,341

-43.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.45 DZD 722

$5.92 ฿193

-7.94%

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

$93.9 DZD 12.5K

$299 ฿9,766

-68.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,601 DZD 477.6K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-75.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.65 DZD 4,861

$54.7 ฿1,787

-33.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.72 DZD 2,881

$26.77 ฿874

-18.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.1 DZD 9,423

$85.0 ฿2,776

-16.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.82 DZD 3,822

$70.6 ฿2,306

-59.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$143 DZD 19.0K

$428 ฿14.0K

-66.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$107 DZD 14.2K

$237 ฿7,752

-54.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$161 DZD 21.3K

$801 ฿26.2K

-79.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 DZD 19.9K

$515 ฿16.8K

-70.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,117 DZD 148.2K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-43.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,141 DZD 151.4K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-22.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$236 DZD 31.3K

$617 ฿20.2K

-61.75%

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 Biskra: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $143 in Biskra 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 161% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $29.00 in Biskra versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $208 in Biskra vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Biskra wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 49%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $875 per month in Biskra 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 Biskra, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $583 in Biskra and $866 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 9% less in Biskra. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $583 in Biskra and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Biskra – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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