Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Boumerdes Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Boumerdes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $548 in Boumerdes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $890 in Boumerdes, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,231 in Boumerdes, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 73% more than Boumerdes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Boumerdes are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Boumerdes 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$3.39 DZD 449

-38.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$24.01 DZD 3,183

-18.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$3.48 DZD 461

62.36%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$0.54 DZD 71.5

235.19%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$0.54 DZD 71.2

31.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.28 DZD 37.22

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$2.29 DZD 304

-2.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.34 DZD 310

55.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$0.92 DZD 122

113.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$0.14 DZD 18.19

971.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$1.14 DZD 150

17.54%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$1.39 DZD 184

62.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$8.11 DZD 1,075

100.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$4.21 DZD 558

-29.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$15.15 DZD 2,008

-34.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$2.17 DZD 288

18.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$2.92 DZD 387

-63.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$1.12 DZD 148

43.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$0.51 DZD 67.5

198.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$0.50 DZD 66.3

154.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$0.48 DZD 63.1

122.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$0.79 DZD 105

-8.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.28 DZD 37.42

82.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$2.73 DZD 362

53.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$6.88 DZD 912

159.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.29 DZD 171

31.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$1.94 DZD 258

46.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

$0.29 DZD 38.40

220.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

$7.24 DZD 960

643.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$0.57 DZD 75.2

115.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$0.48 DZD 63.8

20.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$5.69 DZD 754

-57.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$0.35 DZD 45.79

302.86%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$14.2K DZD 1.9M

51.38%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$35.5K DZD 4.7M

-22.92%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$45.99 DZD 6,097

38.44%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$10.86 DZD 1,439

18.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$11.96 DZD 1,585

69.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$18.24 DZD 2,419

112.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$1.96 DZD 260

243.88%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$104 DZD 13.8K

647.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$6,540 DZD 867.0K

123.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$11.96 DZD 1,586

353.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$35.49 DZD 4,704

-28.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$72.7 DZD 9,633

29.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$84.0 DZD 11.1K

-12.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$160 DZD 21.2K

205.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

$108 DZD 14.3K

168.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$285 DZD 37.8K

213.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$210 DZD 27.8K

146.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$1,294 DZD 171.5K

51.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

$745 DZD 98.8K

98.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Boumerdes: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $160 in Boumerdes. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $24.00 in Boumerdes. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Chiang Mai vs $180 in Boumerdes – so Boumerdes wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Boumerdes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 73%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $822 in Boumerdes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 34% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $24.00 in Boumerdes. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Boumerdes, where all-in costs run around $548, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Boumerdes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Boumerdes – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Boumerdes. 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.