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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $582 in Ain Defla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $938 in Ain Defla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $1,295 in Ain Defla.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 49% more expensive than Ain Defla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Ain Defla 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$1.96 DZD 260

-1.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$24.10 DZD 3,197

-22.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$2.33 DZD 309

235.62%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$0.23 DZD 30.43

747.83%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.37 DZD 49.20

129.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.21 DZD 27.74

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.90 DZD 253

12.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.34 DZD 311

59.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.04 DZD 138

64.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.13 DZD 17.61

1153.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.81 DZD 241

-37.02%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.79 DZD 237

7.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$5.73 DZD 760

182.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.45 DZD 723

-42.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$15.79 DZD 2,094

-30.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.89 DZD 383

-4.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.94 DZD 389

-58.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.73 DZD 229

-6.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.85 DZD 113

87.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.59 DZD 78.7

137.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.50 DZD 66.3

134.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.72 DZD 95.2

-8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.30 DZD 39.95

76.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.77 DZD 368

69.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$9.73 DZD 1,291

91.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.33 DZD 177

35.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.09 DZD 277

54.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.25 DZD 33.33

260.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$17.30 DZD 2,295

11.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.66 DZD 87.4

113.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.37 DZD 48.65

248.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.43 DZD 720

44.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.34 DZD 44.84

273.53%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$36.4K DZD 4.8M

-41.61%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$34.1K DZD 4.5M

-34.95%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$41.14 DZD 5,456

67.89%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$9.32 DZD 1,236

51.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$13.70 DZD 1,817

31.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$23.56 DZD 3,125

74.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.15 DZD 816

-3.74%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$49.91 DZD 6,619

499.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$3,592 DZD 476.4K

316.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$37.35 DZD 4,953

46.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$46.15 DZD 6,121

-41.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$75.7 DZD 10.0K

12.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$78.5 DZD 10.4K

-10.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$192 DZD 25.5K

123.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$113 DZD 15.0K

109.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$269 DZD 35.7K

197.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$187 DZD 24.8K

176.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,124 DZD 149.1K

75.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,120 DZD 148.6K

31.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$434 DZD 57.6K

42.18%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ain Defla: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $192 in Ain Defla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 42% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $24.00 in Ain Defla. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $201, with Ain Defla cheaper for home cooking.

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 Defla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ain Defla is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Chiang Mai pays 42% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $192 in Ain Defla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ain Defla – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Chiang Mai versus $582 in Ain Defla – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Ain Defla gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Ain Defla is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Chiang Mai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Ain Defla are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ain Defla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.