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 $547 in Bordj Bou Arreridj, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $823 in Bordj Bou Arreridj, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,099 in Bordj Bou Arreridj, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 56% 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 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$2.27 DZD 301

-10.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$7.79 DZD 1,031

140.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$3.75 DZD 497

109.60%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$0.44 DZD 58.6

361.36%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$0.58 DZD 76.3

37.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$0.21 DZD 27.71

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$0.75 DZD 99.8

185.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$2.33 DZD 308

57.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$1.00 DZD 132

73.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.09 DZD 12.06

1644.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$0.80 DZD 106

50.00%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$1.67 DZD 222

17.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$7.09 DZD 939

128.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.53 DZD 732

-44.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$16.23 DZD 2,148

-33.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$3.22 DZD 426

-13.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$2.40 DZD 317

-51.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$1.76 DZD 233

-2.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$0.92 DZD 122

72.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$0.60 DZD 79.2

131.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$0.47 DZD 62.2

146.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$0.73 DZD 97.1

-9.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.28 DZD 36.92

85.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.78 DZD 368

67.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$6.85 DZD 906

159.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$1.36 DZD 180

31.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.16 DZD 286

54.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$0.23 DZD 30.33

295.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$17.49 DZD 2,315

6.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$0.65 DZD 85.8

116.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$0.36 DZD 47.81

272.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$5.65 DZD 748

43.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$0.37 DZD 48.43

232.43%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$36.4K DZD 4.8M

-41.13%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$33.7K DZD 4.5M

-35.22%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$40.79 DZD 5,399

74.87%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$7.94 DZD 1,051

76.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$17.71 DZD 2,344

1.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$13.81 DZD 1,827

195.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.01 DZD 795

-4.83%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$62.6 DZD 8,278

392.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$3,580 DZD 473.8K

310.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$35.86 DZD 4,746

55.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$39.31 DZD 5,202

-33.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$35.30 DZD 4,672

140.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$54.9 DZD 7,260

29.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$195 DZD 25.8K

117.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$115 DZD 15.2K

110.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$276 DZD 36.6K

188.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$183 DZD 24.3K

176.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$1,142 DZD 151.1K

67.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$1,154 DZD 152.7K

26.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$340 DZD 45.0K

74.82%

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 Bordj Bou Arreridj: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $195 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 75% 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: $244 vs $194 – 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 56% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $820 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 $547 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 $547 in Bordj Bou Arreridj, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bordj Bou Arreridj costs $547 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.