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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $580 in Bejaia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $892 in Bejaia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,204 in Bejaia, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 47% 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

$2.04 ฿68.2

$2.39 DZD 317

-14.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$7.95 DZD 1,052

135.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$4.73 DZD 626

66.17%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$0.25 DZD 33.07

712.00%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.57 DZD 74.8

40.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.21 DZD 27.73

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.98 DZD 262

8.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$1.21 DZD 160

203.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.03 DZD 136

67.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.15 DZD 19.37

946.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.62 DZD 214

-25.93%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.87 DZD 248

5.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$6.43 DZD 850

152.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.32 DZD 704

-42.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$16.67 DZD 2,204

-35.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$3.13 DZD 413

-11.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.97 DZD 260

-40.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.77 DZD 234

-3.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.87 DZD 116

82.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.60 DZD 79.8

131.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.50 DZD 66.5

132.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.68 DZD 89.8

-2.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.28 DZD 36.54

85.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.72 DZD 360

70.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$6.74 DZD 891

163.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.34 DZD 178

33.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.13 DZD 282

56.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.14 DZD 18.66

550.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$23.37 DZD 3,090

-20.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.66 DZD 87.1

113.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.36 DZD 47.72

272.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$3.98 DZD 526

103.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.34 DZD 44.48

261.76%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$36.4K DZD 4.8M

-41.04%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$33.4K DZD 4.4M

-34.71%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$39.97 DZD 5,285

78.46%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$9.30 DZD 1,229

50.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$17.87 DZD 2,362

0.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$21.55 DZD 2,850

89.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$6.08 DZD 805

13.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$4.49 DZD 594

27.39%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$93.5 DZD 12.4K

229.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$2,370 DZD 313.4K

519.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$31.96 DZD 4,226

74.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$45.97 DZD 6,078

-43.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$64.5 DZD 8,531

31.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$77.9 DZD 10.3K

-8.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$194 DZD 25.6K

118.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$117 DZD 15.4K

108.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$272 DZD 36.0K

193.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$187 DZD 24.7K

171.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$4,514 DZD 596.9K

-57.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$3,869 DZD 511.5K

-62.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$212 DZD 28.1K

180.12%

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 Bejaia: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $194 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 180% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $8.00 in Bejaia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $194 – 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 47% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $871 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $93.5 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $580 in Bejaia, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bejaia costs $580 versus $852 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.