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: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $581 in Ain Defla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $936 in Ain Defla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $1,291 in Ain Defla.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 48% more expensive than in Ain Defla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Ain Defla 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$1.94 DZD 257

1.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$23.65 DZD 3,131

-22.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$2.41 DZD 319

210.37%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$0.23 DZD 30.40

778.26%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$0.38 DZD 49.76

123.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.21 DZD 27.80

71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.98 DZD 262

8.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.36 DZD 312

52.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.00 DZD 132

65.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.14 DZD 18.94

1021.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.74 DZD 230

-31.61%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.86 DZD 246

4.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$5.74 DZD 759

182.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.44 DZD 720

-45.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$16.09 DZD 2,131

-32.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$3.00 DZD 398

-9.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$2.86 DZD 379

-59.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.71 DZD 227

-1.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.83 DZD 109

92.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.60 DZD 79.9

130.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.49 DZD 65.4

144.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.67 DZD 88.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.28 DZD 36.84

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.72 DZD 361

70.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$9.09 DZD 1,204

93.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.30 DZD 172

43.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.18 DZD 288

51.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.25 DZD 33.34

252.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$17.71 DZD 2,346

9.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$0.70 DZD 93.0

94.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.36 DZD 48.28

272.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$5.67 DZD 751

44.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$0.37 DZD 48.36

229.73%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$36.2K DZD 4.8M

-40.97%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$34.0K DZD 4.5M

-33.65%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$40.92 DZD 5,418

72.70%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$9.19 DZD 1,218

52.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$13.25 DZD 1,755

32.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$23.08 DZD 3,057

82.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$6.08 DZD 806

-2.63%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$50.3 DZD 6,660

513.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$3,649 DZD 483.1K

307.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$36.24 DZD 4,799

53.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$45.09 DZD 5,970

-42.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$74.8 DZD 9,907

10.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$75.8 DZD 10.0K

-7.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$195 DZD 25.8K

121.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$118 DZD 15.6K

103.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$272 DZD 36.0K

202.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$182 DZD 24.0K

182.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,113 DZD 147.3K

72.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$1,155 DZD 153.0K

26.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$441 DZD 58.4K

31.48%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Ain Defla: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $195 in Ain Defla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 31% 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: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $24.00 in Ain Defla. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $199, 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, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 31% higher in Chiang Mai, 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: $432 in Chiang Mai versus $195 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $861 per month in Chiang Mai versus $581 in Ain Defla – a 48% 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 48% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.