Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bordj Bou Arreridj Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bordj Bou Arreridj

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $534 in Bordj Bou Arreridj, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $818 in Bordj Bou Arreridj, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,102 in Bordj Bou Arreridj, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 60% more than Bordj Bou Arreridj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Bordj Bou Arreridj are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Bordj Bou Arreridj 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$2.32 DZD 308

-15.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿611

$7.79 DZD 1,033

141.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿258

$3.66 DZD 486

116.39%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.2

$0.41 DZD 54.7

365.85%

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

$0.84 ฿27.25

$0.61 DZD 80.7

37.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.44

$0.23 DZD 30.55

52.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.7

$0.80 DZD 106

176.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.33 DZD 308

63.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$1.00 DZD 133

64.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.8

$0.08 DZD 10.24

1925.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.40

$0.77 DZD 102

53.25%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.4

$1.62 DZD 215

24.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿517

$7.09 DZD 940

124.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.0

$5.22 DZD 693

-42.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿350

$16.10 DZD 2,135

-33.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.0

$3.17 DZD 420

-17.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.65

$2.36 DZD 313

-48.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.4

$1.76 DZD 234

-3.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.2

$0.91 DZD 121

73.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿42.89

$0.61 DZD 80.5

116.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.01

$0.50 DZD 66.6

134.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.85

$0.72 DZD 95.0

-6.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.21

$0.28 DZD 36.99

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿147

$2.71 DZD 359

67.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿592

$6.82 DZD 905

166.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.6

$1.35 DZD 179

35.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.14 DZD 284

50.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

$0.25 DZD 33.42

256.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

$17.14 DZD 2,273

13.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿43.95

$0.71 DZD 94.1

90.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.79

$0.34 DZD 44.82

297.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿268

$5.70 DZD 756

44.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.40

$0.37 DZD 48.56

243.24%

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

$21.2K ฿687.8K

$36.2K DZD 4.8M

-41.55%

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

$22.5K ฿731.0K

$33.8K DZD 4.5M

-33.47%

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

$70.2 ฿2,281

$41.00 DZD 5,438

71.10%

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

$13.77 ฿448

$7.70 DZD 1,021

78.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿572

$17.84 DZD 2,366

-1.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

$13.74 DZD 1,822

202.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿188

$6.31 DZD 836

-8.40%

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

$306 ฿9,953

$63.0 DZD 8,356

385.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿482.0K

$3,589 DZD 476.0K

313.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,768

$34.96 DZD 4,637

55.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿850

$40.03 DZD 5,308

-34.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,748

$35.41 DZD 4,696

138.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,257

$55.1 DZD 7,303

26.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

$198 DZD 26.2K

114.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,743

$113 DZD 15.0K

110.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

$278 DZD 36.9K

196.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

$183 DZD 24.2K

182.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

$408 DZD 54.1K

402.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

$320 DZD 42.4K

375.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

$351 DZD 46.5K

81.03%

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 Bordj Bou Arreridj: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $198 in Bordj Bou Arreridj. 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 81% 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 Bordj Bou Arreridj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $191 – making Bordj Bou Arreridj 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 Bordj Bou Arreridj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 60% more than Bordj Bou Arreridj, 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 $801 in Bordj Bou Arreridj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $8.00 in Bordj Bou Arreridj. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $852 in Chiang Mai and $534 in Bordj Bou Arreridj. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $534 in Bordj Bou Arreridj, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bordj Bou Arreridj costs $534 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 Bordj Bou Arreridj. 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.