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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $537 in Bordj Bou Arreridj, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $821 in Bordj Bou Arreridj, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,105 in Bordj Bou Arreridj, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 62% 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 35% lower, Bordj Bou Arreridj 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$2.39 DZD 317

-17.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$7.90 DZD 1,047

137.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$3.68 DZD 488

110.60%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$0.41 DZD 54.5

368.29%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.57 DZD 76.1

38.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.23 DZD 30.50

56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$0.75 DZD 99.0

194.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.42 DZD 321

51.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.04 DZD 138

58.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.08 DZD 11.11

1937.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$0.74 DZD 98.7

60.81%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.68 DZD 223

19.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$6.96 DZD 922

129.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$5.24 DZD 695

-42.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$16.21 DZD 2,149

-33.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$3.11 DZD 412

-11.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.30 DZD 305

-48.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.70 DZD 225

-3.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.85 DZD 113

78.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.63 DZD 83.9

119.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.50 DZD 66.5

138.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.72 DZD 94.9

-2.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.28 DZD 36.69

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.78 DZD 369

64.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$7.08 DZD 939

133.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.29 DZD 171

41.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.10 DZD 278

52.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.25 DZD 33.24

252.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$17.67 DZD 2,341

5.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.65 DZD 85.8

109.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.37 DZD 48.62

262.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.58 DZD 740

40.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.34 DZD 44.93

261.76%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$36.3K DZD 4.8M

-40.49%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$33.1K DZD 4.4M

-31.85%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$40.43 DZD 5,359

74.47%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$7.96 DZD 1,054

71.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$18.15 DZD 2,406

-3.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$13.89 DZD 1,840

197.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$6.07 DZD 805

-4.94%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$62.5 DZD 8,288

391.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,570 DZD 473.2K

309.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$35.18 DZD 4,662

58.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$39.28 DZD 5,205

-33.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$34.65 DZD 4,592

147.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$54.7 DZD 7,247

32.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$196 DZD 26.0K

119.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$113 DZD 15.0K

110.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$275 DZD 36.4K

197.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$182 DZD 24.1K

181.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,131 DZD 149.9K

75.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,122 DZD 148.7K

32.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$346 DZD 45.9K

78.70%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Bordj Bou Arreridj: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $196 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 79% 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: $241 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 62% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $806 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $537 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $537 in Bordj Bou Arreridj, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bordj Bou Arreridj costs $537 versus $869 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.