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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $581 in Bejaia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $888 in Bejaia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,195 in Bejaia, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 46% more than Bejaia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Bejaia are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Bejaia 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$2.31 DZD 306

-15.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$8.00 DZD 1,061

129.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$4.75 DZD 630

65.68%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$0.23 DZD 30.29

747.83%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$0.58 DZD 76.3

46.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$0.23 DZD 30.57

39.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

$1.91 DZD 253

12.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$1.21 DZD 160

204.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$1.00 DZD 132

66.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$0.13 DZD 16.64

1100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$1.61 DZD 214

-26.09%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$1.87 DZD 248

6.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$6.18 DZD 820

162.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$5.53 DZD 733

-42.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$16.34 DZD 2,167

-33.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$3.07 DZD 407

-13.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$1.94 DZD 257

-37.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$1.72 DZD 228

-4.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$0.93 DZD 124

66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$0.61 DZD 80.8

118.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$0.49 DZD 65.6

146.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$0.69 DZD 91.3

-1.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$0.28 DZD 36.84

103.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$2.72 DZD 361

72.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

$6.81 DZD 903

149.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

$1.29 DZD 172

41.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

$2.08 DZD 275

52.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

$0.15 DZD 20.53

506.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

$23.51 DZD 3,117

-20.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$0.71 DZD 94.3

98.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$0.37 DZD 48.53

262.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$3.99 DZD 529

104.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$0.36 DZD 47.77

255.56%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$35.9K DZD 4.8M

-39.13%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$34.0K DZD 4.5M

-34.14%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$39.92 DZD 5,294

76.55%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$9.56 DZD 1,268

46.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$17.72 DZD 2,350

-0.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

$21.45 DZD 2,844

92.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

$6.05 DZD 803

11.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$4.71 DZD 625

26.54%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$94.3 DZD 12.5K

221.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$2,363 DZD 313.3K

533.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$32.06 DZD 4,251

70.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$45.74 DZD 6,066

-42.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$63.4 DZD 8,408

35.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$77.8 DZD 10.3K

-10.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

$193 DZD 25.6K

121.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

$114 DZD 15.2K

108.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

$276 DZD 36.6K

193.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

$187 DZD 24.8K

172.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

$4,601 DZD 610.1K

-55.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

$4,089 DZD 542.3K

-63.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

$319 DZD 42.4K

94.92%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Bejaia: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $193 in Bejaia. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 95% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $8.00 in Bejaia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $192 – making Bejaia the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Bejaia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 46% more than Bejaia, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $872 in Bejaia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bejaia, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 25% less in Bejaia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $303 per month in Chiang Mai and $94.3 in Bejaia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $848 in Chiang Mai and $581 in Bejaia, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bejaia costs $581 versus $848 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bejaia. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.