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: $869 in Chiang Mai versus $610 in Bechar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,362 in Chiang Mai versus $969 in Bechar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,855 in Chiang Mai versus $1,328 in Bechar.

Living in Chiang Mai is roughly 42% more expensive than Bechar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Bechar 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$3.22 DZD 427

-38.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$23.46 DZD 3,109

-19.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$3.89 DZD 516

99.23%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$0.77 DZD 102

149.35%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.57 DZD 75.7

38.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.21 DZD 27.74

71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.92 DZD 255

15.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.36 DZD 312

55.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.99 DZD 132

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.16 DZD 20.92

918.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.59 DZD 210

-25.16%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.81 DZD 240

10.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$8.98 DZD 1,190

77.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$5.14 DZD 681

-41.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$16.79 DZD 2,225

-35.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$3.11 DZD 412

-11.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.97 DZD 393

-60.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.73 DZD 229

-5.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.76 DZD 100

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.59 DZD 78.5

133.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.47 DZD 61.7

153.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.64 DZD 85.5

9.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.28 DZD 36.55

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.81 DZD 372

62.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$5.92 DZD 785

179.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.35 DZD 178

35.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.07 DZD 275

54.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.25 DZD 33.40

252.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$17.15 DZD 2,273

9.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.67 DZD 88.7

102.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.36 DZD 47.74

272.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.44 DZD 721

44.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.34 DZD 44.69

261.76%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$32.8K DZD 4.3M

-34.10%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$33.3K DZD 4.4M

-32.23%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$40.18 DZD 5,325

75.56%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$9.52 DZD 1,261

43.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$16.91 DZD 2,241

3.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$23.61 DZD 3,129

75.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.54 DZD 735

4.15%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$94.7 DZD 12.5K

224.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,612 DZD 478.7K

304.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$36.32 DZD 4,814

53.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$44.66 DZD 5,919

-41.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$76.5 DZD 10.1K

12.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$76.8 DZD 10.2K

-5.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$193 DZD 25.6K

122.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$113 DZD 15.0K

111.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$275 DZD 36.5K

197.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$186 DZD 24.6K

174.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,144 DZD 151.7K

73.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,083 DZD 143.5K

37.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bechar: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Chiang Mai and $193 in Bechar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $23.00 in Bechar. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $203, 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 42% 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 $1,303 in Chiang Mai and $915 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: $430 in Chiang Mai versus $193 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 $23.00 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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai versus $610 in Bechar – a 42% 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 $610 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 42% less than in Chiang Mai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.