🙂A single person spends $502 per month in Bordj Bou Arreridj vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $785 per month in Bordj Bou Arreridj vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,069 per month in Bordj Bou Arreridj vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂Bordj Bou Arreridj is about 47% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Bordj Bou Arreridj and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Bordj Bou Arreridj64% lower, Chiang Mai31% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bordj Bou Arreridj
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.31DZD 306
$2.10฿69.3
10.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$8.01DZD 1,063
$19.84฿656
-59.63%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.81DZD 505
$5.79฿191
-34.20%
Cappuccino
$0.44DZD 59.0
$1.83฿60.4
-75.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.61DZD 81.0
$0.78฿25.61
-21.79%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.28DZD 36.93
$0.31฿10.37
-9.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.80DZD 106
$2.34฿77.2
-65.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36DZD 313
$3.70฿122
-36.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bordj Bou Arreridj
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.86DZD 114
$2.03฿67.1
-57.64%
White Bread(500g)
$0.08DZD 11.18
$1.60฿52.7
-95.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.77DZD 102
$1.42฿46.75
-45.77%
Eggs
$1.40DZD 185
$2.18฿71.9
-35.78%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.88DZD 912
$15.91฿526
-56.76%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.14DZD 550
$3.07฿102
34.85%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.85DZD 1,969
$9.87฿326
50.46%
Apples(1kg)
$2.13DZD 282
$2.63฿86.8
-19.01%
Banana(1kg)
$2.42DZD 321
$1.10฿36.19
120.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.17DZD 156
$1.63฿53.8
-28.22%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.96DZD 127
$1.53฿50.6
-37.25%
Potato(1kg)
$0.60DZD 80.2
$1.24฿41.13
-51.61%
Onion(1kg)
$0.47DZD 62.3
$1.13฿37.37
-58.41%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.78DZD 103
$0.74฿24.38
5.41%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.26DZD 34.37
$0.50฿16.48
-48.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.82DZD 375
$4.28฿141
-34.11%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.01DZD 929
$17.97฿594
-60.99%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.26DZD 167
$1.70฿56.1
-25.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93DZD 256
$2.90฿95.7
-33.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Bordj Bou Arreridj
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.17DZD 22.53
$0.94฿31.13
-81.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$6.43DZD 853
$55.3฿1,827
-88.37%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.60DZD 79.4
$1.23฿40.76
-51.22%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.49DZD 64.8
$0.53฿17.66
-7.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.76DZD 764
$2.40฿79.3
140.00%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.34DZD 45.43
$1.44฿47.55
-76.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.1KDZD 4.9M
$21.2K฿700.2K
75.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.7KDZD 4.7M
$27.3K฿902.1K
30.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bordj Bou Arreridj
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$44.99DZD 5,967
$64.9฿2,145
-30.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.79DZD 1,034
$13.35฿441
-41.65%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.91DZD 1,712
$20.83฿688
-38.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bordj Bou Arreridj
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$13.57DZD 1,800
$40.42฿1,336
-66.43%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$3.95฿131
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.59DZD 609
$6.71฿222
-31.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bordj Bou Arreridj
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$63.3DZD 8,391
$787฿26.0K
-91.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,607DZD 876.2K
$15.1K฿499.6K
-56.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bordj Bou Arreridj
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$33.02DZD 4,379
$56.2฿1,858
-41.28%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.72DZD 4,869
$24.95฿824
47.17%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$35.57DZD 4,716
$92.7฿3,063
-61.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$55.0DZD 7,291
$75.1฿2,482
-26.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bordj Bou Arreridj
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$162DZD 21.5K
$484฿16.0K
-66.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$109DZD 14.5K
$287฿9,491
-62.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$279DZD 37.0K
$910฿30.1K
-69.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$208DZD 27.5K
$531฿17.5K
-60.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,302DZD 172.7K
$1,980฿65.4K
-34.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$321DZD 42.5K
$1,451฿47.9K
-77.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bordj Bou Arreridj
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$347DZD 46.1K
$605฿20.0K
-42.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.3
5.57
-4.85%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Bordj Bou Arreridj: September 7, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $162 in Bordj Bou Arreridj versus $484 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 74% 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 $8.00 in Bordj Bou Arreridj versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $172 vs $242 – making Bordj Bou Arreridj 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
Bordj Bou Arreridj vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Bordj Bou Arreridj or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 89% more than Bordj Bou Arreridj, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Bordj Bou Arreridj and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $752 per month in Bordj Bou Arreridj and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Bordj Bou Arreridj or Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Bordj Bou Arreridj, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Bordj Bou Arreridj and in Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $8.00 in Bordj Bou Arreridj and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Bordj Bou Arreridj compared to Chiang Mai?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $502 in Bordj Bou Arreridj and $950 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Bordj Bou Arreridj or in Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bordj Bou Arreridj, where all-in costs run around $502, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Bordj Bou Arreridj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Bordj Bou Arreridj or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bordj Bou Arreridj costs $502 versus $950 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Bordj Bou Arreridj compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Bordj Bou Arreridj or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Bordj Bou Arreridj. 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.
Bordj Bou Arreridj vs other spots: cost of living compared