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: $950 in Chiang Mai versus $540 in Bechar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,430 in Chiang Mai versus $883 in Bechar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,909 in Chiang Mai versus $1,227 in Bechar.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 76% more expensive than in Bechar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Bechar 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$3.31 DZD 439

-36.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$16.75 DZD 2,222

18.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$4.16 DZD 551

39.18%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$0.74 DZD 98.0

147.30%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.63 DZD 83.5

23.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.30 DZD 40.15

3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$1.48 DZD 196

58.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.12 DZD 281

74.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$0.87 DZD 116

133.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.16 DZD 21.07

900.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.15 DZD 153

23.48%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.34 DZD 178

62.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$8.30 DZD 1,100

91.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$4.02 DZD 533

-23.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$15.09 DZD 2,001

-34.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$2.15 DZD 285

22.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$2.92 DZD 388

-62.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.11 DZD 147

46.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.01 DZD 134

51.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.64 DZD 85.5

93.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.47 DZD 62.0

140.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.71 DZD 93.9

4.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.28 DZD 37.31

78.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$2.79 DZD 370

53.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$6.94 DZD 921

158.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.27 DZD 169

33.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.03 DZD 269

42.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.16 DZD 21.58

487.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$6.21 DZD 823

790.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$0.59 DZD 78.5

108.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.42 DZD 55.6

26.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$5.07 DZD 673

-52.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$0.36 DZD 48.27

300.00%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$36.0K DZD 4.8M

-41.18%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$35.2K DZD 4.7M

-22.41%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$39.79 DZD 5,277

63.18%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$8.98 DZD 1,191

48.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$12.95 DZD 1,717

60.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$21.24 DZD 2,817

90.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$4.60 DZD 610

45.87%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$101 DZD 13.4K

680.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$3,296 DZD 437.1K

358.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$32.84 DZD 4,356

71.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$35.60 DZD 4,720

-29.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$72.8 DZD 9,649

27.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$76.4 DZD 10.1K

-1.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$163 DZD 21.6K

197.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$110 DZD 14.6K

161.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$280 DZD 37.1K

225.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$211 DZD 28.0K

151.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$1,277 DZD 169.4K

55.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.3

5.09%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bechar: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $484 in Chiang Mai and $163 in Bechar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $17.00 in Bechar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $182 per month, with Bechar cheaper across the board.

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 76% 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 $1,426 in Chiang Mai and $810 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: $484 in Chiang Mai versus $163 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 $17.00 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 $540 in Bechar – a 76% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $540 in Bechar versus $950 in Chiang Mai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bechar but tight or insufficient in Chiang Mai. The gap between the two cities makes Bechar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bechar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $540 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 76% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.