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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $502 in Bordj Bou Arreridj, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $785 in Bordj Bou Arreridj, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,069 in Bordj Bou Arreridj, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 89% 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 31% lower, Bordj Bou Arreridj 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$2.31 DZD 306

-9.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$8.01 DZD 1,063

147.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$3.81 DZD 505

51.97%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$0.44 DZD 59.0

315.91%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.61 DZD 81.0

27.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.28 DZD 36.93

10.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$0.80 DZD 106

192.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.36 DZD 313

56.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$0.86 DZD 114

136.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.08 DZD 11.18

1900.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$0.77 DZD 102

84.42%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.40 DZD 185

55.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$6.88 DZD 912

131.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$4.14 DZD 550

-25.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$14.85 DZD 1,969

-33.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$2.13 DZD 282

23.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$2.42 DZD 321

-54.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.17 DZD 156

39.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$0.96 DZD 127

59.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.60 DZD 80.2

106.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.47 DZD 62.3

140.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.78 DZD 103

-5.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.26 DZD 34.37

92.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$2.82 DZD 375

51.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$7.01 DZD 929

156.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.26 DZD 167

34.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$1.93 DZD 256

50.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.17 DZD 22.53

452.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$6.43 DZD 853

759.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$0.60 DZD 79.4

105.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.49 DZD 64.8

8.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$5.76 DZD 764

-58.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$0.34 DZD 45.43

323.53%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$37.1K DZD 4.9M

-42.89%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$35.7K DZD 4.7M

-23.61%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$44.99 DZD 5,967

44.32%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$7.79 DZD 1,034

71.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$12.91 DZD 1,712

61.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$13.57 DZD 1,800

197.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$4.59 DZD 609

46.19%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$63.3 DZD 8,391

1143.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$6,607 DZD 876.2K

128.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$33.02 DZD 4,379

70.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$36.72 DZD 4,869

-32.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$35.57 DZD 4,716

160.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$55.0 DZD 7,291

36.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$162 DZD 21.5K

197.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$109 DZD 14.5K

163.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$279 DZD 37.0K

226.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$208 DZD 27.5K

155.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$1,302 DZD 172.7K

52.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$321 DZD 42.5K

352.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$347 DZD 46.1K

74.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.3

5.09%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bordj Bou Arreridj: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $162 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 74% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $8.00 in Bordj Bou Arreridj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $172 – 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 89% 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $752 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 $20.00 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 $950 in Chiang Mai and $502 in Bordj Bou Arreridj. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bordj Bou Arreridj, where all-in costs run around $502, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Bordj Bou Arreridj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bordj Bou Arreridj costs $502 versus $950 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.