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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $603 in Abalessa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $976 in Abalessa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,349 in Abalessa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 44% more than Abalessa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Abalessa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Abalessa 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$3.15 DZD 418

-37.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$24.02 DZD 3,184

-21.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$3.93 DZD 521

97.20%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$0.72 DZD 95.6

166.67%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.61 DZD 81.1

29.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.21 DZD 27.83

71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.99 DZD 263

11.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.40 DZD 318

52.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.00 DZD 132

65.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.15 DZD 19.83

986.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.57 DZD 208

-24.20%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.87 DZD 248

6.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$9.20 DZD 1,220

73.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$5.32 DZD 706

-43.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$16.59 DZD 2,199

-34.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$3.23 DZD 428

-14.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.82 DZD 373

-58.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.72 DZD 227

-4.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.80 DZD 106

90.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.55 DZD 72.7

150.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.49 DZD 65.5

142.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.62 DZD 81.8

12.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.30 DZD 40.09

86.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.77 DZD 367

65.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$7.13 DZD 945

132.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.34 DZD 178

36.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.17 DZD 288

47.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.23 DZD 30.29

282.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$17.66 DZD 2,340

6.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.71 DZD 93.9

91.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.34 DZD 44.90

294.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.19 DZD 687

51.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.34 DZD 45.04

261.76%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$32.1K DZD 4.3M

-32.57%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$33.4K DZD 4.4M

-32.57%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$40.75 DZD 5,401

73.10%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$9.56 DZD 1,267

43.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$17.12 DZD 2,269

1.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$23.47 DZD 3,111

76.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.44 DZD 721

6.07%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$94.9 DZD 12.6K

223.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,616 DZD 479.2K

304.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$37.47 DZD 4,966

48.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$44.80 DZD 5,937

-41.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$75.2 DZD 9,962

14.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$78.2 DZD 10.4K

-7.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$194 DZD 25.7K

121.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$116 DZD 15.3K

106.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$277 DZD 36.7K

195.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$183 DZD 24.3K

178.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,113 DZD 147.5K

78.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,094 DZD 145.0K

35.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.42

-7.75%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Abalessa: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $194 in Abalessa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $24.00 in Abalessa. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $207 in Abalessa – so Abalessa 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 44% more than Abalessa, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $904 in Abalessa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Abalessa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $24.00 in Abalessa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $603 in Abalessa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Abalessa costs $603 versus $869 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Abalessa. 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.