Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ain Beida Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ain Beida

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $630 in Ain Beida, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $998 in Ain Beida, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,367 in Ain Beida, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 35% more than Ain Beida, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Ain Beida are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Ain Beida 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$3.15 DZD 416

-35.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$23.25 DZD 3,077

-19.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$4.00 DZD 530

96.50%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$0.78 DZD 103

160.26%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$0.58 DZD 76.6

37.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$0.23 DZD 30.46

52.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$1.91 DZD 253

12.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$2.41 DZD 319

52.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$1.02 DZD 135

69.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.13 DZD 17.59

1107.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$2.09 DZD 277

-42.58%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$2.21 DZD 292

-10.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$13.70 DZD 1,813

18.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.77 DZD 631

-35.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$16.15 DZD 2,137

-33.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$3.16 DZD 418

-12.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$2.82 DZD 374

-58.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$1.73 DZD 229

-1.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$0.75 DZD 99.8

112.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$0.59 DZD 77.5

135.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$0.50 DZD 66.7

132.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$0.65 DZD 85.8

1.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.30 DZD 40.13

73.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.78 DZD 369

67.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$6.97 DZD 923

155.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$1.30 DZD 172

37.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.08 DZD 276

60.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$0.25 DZD 33.26

264.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$17.36 DZD 2,298

7.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$0.69 DZD 91.4

104.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$0.36 DZD 48.04

272.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$5.15 DZD 681

57.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$0.36 DZD 47.94

241.67%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$32.5K DZD 4.3M

-34.10%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$33.7K DZD 4.5M

-35.26%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$40.46 DZD 5,355

76.30%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$9.27 DZD 1,227

51.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$16.84 DZD 2,228

6.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$23.39 DZD 3,096

74.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.43 DZD 719

5.34%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$93.1 DZD 12.3K

231.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$3,639 DZD 481.6K

303.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$36.06 DZD 4,772

54.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$46.34 DZD 6,134

-43.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$76.1 DZD 10.1K

11.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$75.6 DZD 10.0K

-6.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$193 DZD 25.6K

119.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$117 DZD 15.5K

107.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$276 DZD 36.5K

188.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$182 DZD 24.1K

178.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$1,050 DZD 139.0K

82.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$1,296 DZD 171.6K

12.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$313 DZD 41.4K

90.31%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ain Beida: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $193 in Ain Beida. 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 90% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $23.00 in Ain Beida. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $219 in Ain Beida – so Ain Beida 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 Ain Beida: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $852 in Chiang Mai, $630 in Ain Beida – roughly 35% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $944 in Ain Beida. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ain Beida, 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $630 in Ain Beida. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Ain Beida. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $630 in Ain Beida, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $630 in Ain Beida to $852 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Ain Beida. 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.