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: $950 in Chiang Mai versus $552 in Ain Defla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,430 in Chiang Mai versus $901 in Ain Defla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Chiang Mai versus $1,251 in Ain Defla.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 72% more expensive than in Ain Defla, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Ain Defla 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.5

$1.94 DZD 258

8.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿657

$23.13 DZD 3,069

-14.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿192

$2.31 DZD 306

150.65%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.6

$0.67 DZD 89.0

173.13%

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

$0.78 ฿25.67

$0.65 DZD 85.8

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.40

$0.53 DZD 70.1

-41.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.4

$1.72 DZD 228

36.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿123

$3.08 DZD 409

20.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.2

$1.05 DZD 139

93.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.9

$0.14 DZD 18.37

1042.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.87

$1.06 DZD 141

33.96%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.1

$1.41 DZD 187

54.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿527

$6.28 DZD 834

153.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$4.58 DZD 608

-32.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿327

$14.12 DZD 1,874

-30.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿87.0

$3.26 DZD 432

-19.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.28

$3.21 DZD 426

-65.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.0

$1.40 DZD 186

16.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.7

$1.03 DZD 137

48.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.23

$0.79 DZD 104

56.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.46

$0.64 DZD 84.9

76.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.44

$0.64 DZD 84.8

15.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.52

$0.26 DZD 34.34

92.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿142

$2.73 DZD 363

56.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿595

$10.61 DZD 1,408

69.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.2

$2.31 DZD 306

-26.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.9

$2.72 DZD 361

6.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.20

$0.19 DZD 25.45

394.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,831

$6.50 DZD 862

750.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.86

$0.97 DZD 129

26.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.70

$0.35 DZD 45.98

51.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.5

$4.79 DZD 636

-49.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.67

$0.35 DZD 45.84

311.43%

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

$21.2K ฿701.9K

$16.8K DZD 2.2M

26.21%

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

$27.3K ฿904.3K

$29.6K DZD 3.9M

-7.62%

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

$64.9 ฿2,150

$20.34 DZD 2,700

219.22%

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

$13.35 ฿442

$4.59 DZD 610

190.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿690

$10.31 DZD 1,369

102.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,339

$18.20 DZD 2,415

122.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$4.83 DZD 640

38.92%

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

$787 ฿26.1K

$51.2 DZD 6,798

1436.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿500.8K

$3,366 DZD 446.6K

349.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,862

$34.77 DZD 4,613

61.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿826

$56.2 DZD 7,451

-55.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,070

$83.7 DZD 11.1K

10.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,488

$75.9 DZD 10.1K

-0.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$157 DZD 20.8K

208.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,514

$106 DZD 14.1K

169.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$289 DZD 38.3K

215.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.6K

$207 DZD 27.4K

156.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.6K

$1,323 DZD 175.6K

49.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.1K

$1,165 DZD 154.7K

24.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$442 DZD 58.6K

37.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.5

-14.31%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ain Defla: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $484 in Chiang Mai and $157 in Ain Defla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chiang Mai pays 37% 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: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $23.00 in Ain Defla. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $200, 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, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 37% 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: $484 in Chiang Mai versus $157 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 $23.00 versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $950 per month in Chiang Mai versus $552 in Ain Defla – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $552 in Ain Defla versus $950 in Chiang Mai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ain Defla but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Ain Defla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 72% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.