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: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $617 in Bechar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,360 in Chiang Mai versus $967 in Bechar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,867 in Chiang Mai versus $1,318 in Bechar.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 38% more expensive than in Bechar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Bechar 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$3.24 DZD 429

-37.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$23.85 DZD 3,156

-21.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$3.84 DZD 509

104.69%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$0.77 DZD 102

163.64%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$0.61 DZD 80.5

31.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$0.21 DZD 27.71

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$1.99 DZD 263

7.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$2.43 DZD 322

51.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$1.03 DZD 136

67.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.16 DZD 20.97

881.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$1.56 DZD 206

-23.08%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$1.79 DZD 237

10.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$8.80 DZD 1,164

84.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.31 DZD 703

-42.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$16.29 DZD 2,157

-33.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$3.20 DZD 424

-13.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$2.94 DZD 389

-60.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$1.70 DZD 225

0.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$0.78 DZD 104

103.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$0.55 DZD 72.8

152.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$0.47 DZD 61.7

146.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$0.65 DZD 86.0

1.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.28 DZD 36.83

85.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.82 DZD 373

64.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$6.63 DZD 877

168.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$1.33 DZD 176

34.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.08 DZD 275

60.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$0.23 DZD 30.23

295.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$17.49 DZD 2,315

6.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$0.71 DZD 93.3

98.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$0.33 DZD 44.19

306.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$5.18 DZD 685

56.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$0.33 DZD 44.09

272.73%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$32.0K DZD 4.2M

-32.95%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$33.7K DZD 4.5M

-35.18%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$40.48 DZD 5,358

76.21%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$9.40 DZD 1,244

49.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$16.92 DZD 2,239

5.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$23.15 DZD 3,064

76.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.56 DZD 735

2.88%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$95.9 DZD 12.7K

221.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$3,594 DZD 475.6K

308.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$37.41 DZD 4,951

49.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$45.30 DZD 5,996

-42.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$74.5 DZD 9,860

13.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$76.3 DZD 10.1K

-6.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$194 DZD 25.7K

118.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$113 DZD 15.0K

114.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$270 DZD 35.8K

194.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$183 DZD 24.3K

176.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$1,086 DZD 143.7K

76.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$1,240 DZD 164.1K

18.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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 Bechar: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Chiang Mai and $194 in Bechar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $24.00 in Bechar. Groceries flip the comparison at $244 vs $204, 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 38% 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 $1,279 in Chiang Mai and $925 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: $423 in Chiang Mai versus $194 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $852 per month in Chiang Mai versus $617 in Bechar – a 38% 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 $617 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 38% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.