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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $546 in Abalessa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $871 in Abalessa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,195 in Abalessa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 71% more than Abalessa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Abalessa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Abalessa 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$2.98 DZD 398

-30.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$18.82 DZD 2,510

4.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$3.99 DZD 532

42.11%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$0.70 DZD 93.4

158.57%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$0.55 DZD 73.7

40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.29 DZD 38.77

20.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$1.55 DZD 207

42.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$2.30 DZD 307

64.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$0.84 DZD 111

144.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.14 DZD 18.27

978.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.00 DZD 133

40.00%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$1.46 DZD 194

54.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$8.87 DZD 1,183

82.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$3.52 DZD 470

-17.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$15.44 DZD 2,059

-38.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$1.83 DZD 244

46.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$2.54 DZD 338

-57.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.21 DZD 162

33.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$0.92 DZD 123

58.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$0.71 DZD 94.4

80.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$0.52 DZD 69.4

103.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$0.74 DZD 99.2

-2.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.26 DZD 34.64

103.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.51 DZD 335

68.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$6.91 DZD 922

164.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$1.10 DZD 147

48.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$1.90 DZD 253

52.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

$0.19 DZD 25.50

363.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

$6.42 DZD 857

737.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$0.52 DZD 69.9

125.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$0.43 DZD 57.7

34.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$5.77 DZD 770

-58.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$0.37 DZD 49.96

291.89%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$34.7K DZD 4.6M

-39.39%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$31.9K DZD 4.3M

-17.10%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$35.98 DZD 4,799

76.90%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$9.95 DZD 1,327

29.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$11.61 DZD 1,549

76.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$20.94 DZD 2,793

86.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$4.30 DZD 573

53.02%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$104 DZD 13.9K

650.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$2,988 DZD 398.4K

391.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$30.32 DZD 4,044

81.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$37.08 DZD 4,945

-33.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$65.1 DZD 8,680

44.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$77.3 DZD 10.3K

-4.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$168 DZD 22.4K

192.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$102 DZD 13.7K

181.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$275 DZD 36.7K

223.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$207 DZD 27.5K

152.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

$1,185 DZD 158.0K

66.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.3

5.09%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Abalessa: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $168 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Abalessa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $176 – making Abalessa 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 71% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $820 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 37% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $19.00 in Abalessa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Abalessa, where all-in costs run around $546, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Abalessa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Abalessa costs $546 versus $932 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.