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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $473 in Bejaia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $795 in Bejaia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,117 in Bejaia, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 97% more than Bejaia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Bejaia are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Bejaia 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$2.43 DZD 324

-14.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$13.51 DZD 1,804

45.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$4.55 DZD 607

24.62%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$0.25 DZD 33.44

624.00%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$0.62 DZD 83.5

24.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$0.18 DZD 23.59

94.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$0.66 DZD 88.0

234.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$1.10 DZD 147

244.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$0.91 DZD 122

125.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.13 DZD 17.19

1061.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.15 DZD 154

21.74%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$1.40 DZD 187

61.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$6.39 DZD 854

153.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$4.08 DZD 544

-28.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$14.79 DZD 1,976

-36.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$2.17 DZD 290

23.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$2.09 DZD 279

-47.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.16 DZD 155

39.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$0.99 DZD 133

47.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.64 DZD 85.9

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.39 DZD 52.7

171.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.84 DZD 112

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.28 DZD 37.86

89.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.59 DZD 346

63.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$6.97 DZD 931

162.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.27 DZD 170

28.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.13 DZD 151

156.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.40 DZD 53.6

120.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$17.80 DZD 2,378

202.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$0.59 DZD 79.1

98.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.48 DZD 64.6

20.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$5.62 DZD 751

-57.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$0.36 DZD 48.58

302.78%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$36.0K DZD 4.8M

-41.68%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$35.2K DZD 4.7M

-24.86%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$45.71 DZD 6,106

39.25%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$10.84 DZD 1,449

18.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$12.69 DZD 1,695

61.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$16.82 DZD 2,247

131.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$5.79 DZD 774

-32.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$3.21 DZD 429

104.98%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$118 DZD 15.8K

561.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$2,381 DZD 318.0K

516.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$33.38 DZD 4,459

65.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$35.96 DZD 4,804

-31.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$58.7 DZD 7,842

60.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$58.9 DZD 7,864

25.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$97.6 DZD 13.0K

402.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$56.1 DZD 7,496

413.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$234 DZD 31.3K

280.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$198 DZD 26.5K

162.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$4,594 DZD 613.7K

-57.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$4,034 DZD 538.9K

-64.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$217 DZD 29.0K

176.72%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Bejaia: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $97.6 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 177% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $14.00 in Bejaia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $170 – 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 97% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $710 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 202% less in Bejaia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $118 in Bejaia. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bejaia, where all-in costs run around $473, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Bejaia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bejaia costs $473 versus $932 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.