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 $584 in Bejaia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $880 in Bejaia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,175 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 ฿64.0

$2.42 DZD 320

-19.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$7.81 DZD 1,035

140.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$4.66 DZD 617

69.96%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$0.23 DZD 30.43

730.43%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.60 DZD 79.8

40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.23 DZD 30.59

52.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.92 DZD 255

15.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$1.17 DZD 155

224.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.00 DZD 133

64.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.16 DZD 20.97

912.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.61 DZD 213

-26.71%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.79 DZD 237

12.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$6.13 DZD 813

159.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$5.40 DZD 715

-44.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$16.31 DZD 2,161

-33.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.05 DZD 404

-14.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.86 DZD 246

-34.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.78 DZD 236

-4.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.92 DZD 122

71.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.59 DZD 78.1

123.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.50 DZD 65.8

134.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.67 DZD 89.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.28 DZD 36.58

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.68 DZD 356

69.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$6.84 DZD 906

166.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.33 DZD 177

37.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.09 DZD 277

54.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.18 DZD 23.32

394.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$22.78 DZD 3,019

-14.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.71 DZD 94.4

90.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.34 DZD 44.82

297.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$3.86 DZD 511

113.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.37 DZD 48.60

243.24%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$35.1K DZD 4.7M

-39.81%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$33.4K DZD 4.4M

-32.63%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$40.63 DZD 5,383

72.66%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$9.63 DZD 1,276

42.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$17.62 DZD 2,335

-0.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$20.96 DZD 2,777

98.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$5.83 DZD 772

13.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$4.53 DZD 600

27.59%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$93.6 DZD 12.4K

227.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$2,380 DZD 315.4K

522.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$31.58 DZD 4,185

72.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$45.65 DZD 6,048

-42.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$63.3 DZD 8,388

33.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$75.9 DZD 10.1K

-8.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$196 DZD 26.0K

116.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$115 DZD 15.2K

107.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$269 DZD 35.7K

206.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$180 DZD 23.8K

186.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$4,679 DZD 620.0K

-56.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$4,078 DZD 540.4K

-62.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$327 DZD 43.3K

94.46%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bejaia: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $196 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 94% 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: $243 vs $191 – 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $877 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 18% less in Bejaia. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $93.6 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 $584 in Bejaia, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bejaia costs $584 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.