Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bechar Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bechar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $845 in Chiang Mai versus $624 in Bechar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,323 in Chiang Mai versus $989 in Bechar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,802 in Chiang Mai versus $1,354 in Bechar.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 35% more expensive than Bechar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 37% lower, Bechar 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$3.20 DZD 424

-39.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$23.67 DZD 3,132

-22.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$4.01 DZD 530

87.03%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$0.71 DZD 94.3

171.83%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$0.60 DZD 80.1

30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.21 DZD 27.77

52.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$1.96 DZD 260

9.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$2.30 DZD 304

61.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$0.99 DZD 131

72.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$0.17 DZD 21.88

817.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$1.63 DZD 216

-27.61%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$1.79 DZD 237

10.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$9.11 DZD 1,206

76.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$5.24 DZD 693

-39.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$16.72 DZD 2,213

-34.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$3.08 DZD 408

-14.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$2.95 DZD 391

-60.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$1.76 DZD 232

-6.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$0.79 DZD 105

94.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$0.55 DZD 73.4

150.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$0.50 DZD 66.4

134.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$0.65 DZD 86.3

1.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.28 DZD 36.91

82.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$2.78 DZD 367

62.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$8.10 DZD 1,072

126.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$1.29 DZD 170

39.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$2.17 DZD 287

46.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$0.23 DZD 30.31

291.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$17.44 DZD 2,308

8.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$0.66 DZD 87.2

113.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$0.34 DZD 44.98

285.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$5.18 DZD 686

56.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$0.36 DZD 47.94

255.56%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$32.9K DZD 4.3M

-35.21%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$33.7K DZD 4.5M

-35.60%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$40.22 DZD 5,323

72.05%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$9.21 DZD 1,219

51.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$16.80 DZD 2,223

6.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$23.25 DZD 3,078

81.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$5.24 DZD 694

12.98%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$94.4 DZD 12.5K

216.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$3,608 DZD 477.5K

311.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$36.90 DZD 4,884

52.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$46.33 DZD 6,132

-41.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$74.3 DZD 9,835

14.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$78.2 DZD 10.4K

-8.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$198 DZD 26.2K

119.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$117 DZD 15.4K

105.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$271 DZD 35.8K

194.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$181 DZD 23.9K

175.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Bechar: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $435 in Chiang Mai and $198 in Bechar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $18 in Chiang Mai vs $24 in Bechar. Groceries flip the comparison at $244 vs $209, with Bechar 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 Bechar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bechar wins on cost – living expenses run 35% lower than in Chiang Mai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bechar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,267 in Chiang Mai and $936 in Bechar to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $435 in Chiang Mai versus $198 in Bechar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bechar – 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 $845 per month in Chiang Mai versus $624 in Bechar – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Bechar gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bechar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $624 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bechar hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Bechar 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 Bechar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.