Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Boumerdes

For one person, living is cheaper in Boumerdes: $552 a month against $925 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$925
/mo nomad
Boumerdes
🇩🇿 Algeria
$552
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Boumerdes

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Boumerdes actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $552 in Boumerdes, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $925
  • Boumerdes $552

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $828 in Boumerdes, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,414
  • Boumerdes $828

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,104 in Boumerdes, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,903
  • Boumerdes $1,104

Chiang Mai costs about 68% more than Boumerdes, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Boumerdes are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Boumerdes 59% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Boumerdes
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.29 ฿76.5
$2.67 DZD 357
-14.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.64 ฿656
$18.93 DZD 2,535
3.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.61 ฿188
$3.66 DZD 491
53.28%
Cappuccino
$1.66 ฿55.6
$0.52 DZD 69.6
219.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 ฿23.40
$0.41 DZD 54.3
70.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.24
$0.20 DZD 26.17
55.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.41 ฿80.4
$2.20 DZD 294
9.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71 ฿124
$2.20 DZD 295
68.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Boumerdes
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.3
$0.90 DZD 120
116.67%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 ฿47.03
$0.13 DZD 17.65
984.62%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.31 ฿43.62
$1.10 DZD 148
19.09%
Eggs
$2.18 ฿72.9
$1.25 DZD 168
74.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.65 ฿556
$8.09 DZD 1,083
105.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.76 ฿92.2
$3.87 DZD 518
-28.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.11 ฿304
$14.49 DZD 1,940
-37.13%
Apples (1kg)
$2.39 ฿80.0
$2.04 DZD 273
17.16%
Banana (1kg)
$1.03 ฿34.26
$2.84 DZD 380
-63.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.63 ฿54.4
$1.08 DZD 144
50.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.0
$0.52 DZD 69.9
188.46%
Potato (1kg)
$1.29 ฿43.13
$0.49 DZD 65.0
163.27%
Onion (1kg)
$1.11 ฿37.03
$0.45 DZD 60.1
146.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿24.08
$0.82 DZD 110
-12.20%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.59
$0.25 DZD 33.18
112.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.31 ฿144
$2.54 DZD 340
69.69%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.95 ฿600
$6.66 DZD 891
169.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 ฿52.9
$1.28 DZD 172
23.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.0
$1.89 DZD 253
50.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Boumerdes
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 ฿28.86
$0.28 DZD 37.34
207.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.3 ฿1,780
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.21 ฿40.29
$0.55 DZD 73.0
120.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.57 ฿18.99
$0.43 DZD 57.5
32.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.35 ฿78.6
$5.66 DZD 758
-58.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 ฿47.96
$0.35 DZD 47.32
311.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K ฿692.8K
$13.8K DZD 1.8M
50.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K ฿895.7K
$35.1K DZD 4.7M
-23.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Boumerdes
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.3 ฿2,083
$44.61 DZD 5,972
39.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.11 ฿405
$9.54 DZD 1,277
26.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.94 ฿666
$11.39 DZD 1,525
75.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Boumerdes
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.07 ฿1,239
$22.12 DZD 2,961
67.59%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.78 ฿126
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.50 ฿217
$1.97 DZD 263
229.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Boumerdes
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$793 ฿26.5K
$558 DZD 74.7K
42.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿494.9K
$6,437 DZD 861.8K
130.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Boumerdes
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.7 ฿1,796
$11.43 DZD 1,530
370.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.62 ฿823
$34.26 DZD 4,587
-28.14%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.9 ฿3,036
$69.4 DZD 9,289
30.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.1 ฿2,378
$79.6 DZD 10.7K
-10.63%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Boumerdes
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$455 ฿15.2K
$190 DZD 25.4K
139.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$298 ฿9,954
$140 DZD 18.7K
113.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$908 ฿30.4K
$233 DZD 31.2K
289.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$554 ฿18.5K
$162 DZD 21.6K
242.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,931 ฿64.5K
$709 DZD 94.9K
172.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,445 ฿48.3K
$729 DZD 97.6K
98.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Boumerdes
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$591 ฿19.7K
-
-
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: October 17, 2026

Last update for Boumerdes: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$298
Boumerdes
$140 53.1% $158
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$235
Boumerdes
$173 26.5% $62
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$108
Boumerdes
$88 19% $21
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Boumerdes
$66 30.6% $29
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$79
Boumerdes
$56 28.3% $22
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Boumerdes
$3.8 * 93.7% $57
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Boumerdes
$26 48% $24

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $190 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 $19.00 in Boumerdes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $173 – making Boumerdes the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇩🇿 Boumerdes
🕒 Local time
19:33 7:33 PM
13:33 1:33 PM
6 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
41,685
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

DZD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Algerian Dinar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 134 DZD (1,000 DZD = 7.47 USD). 1 EUR = 151 DZD (1,000 DZD = 6.64 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Boumerdes 9,240 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Boumerdes

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Boumerdes cheaper than Chiang Mai?
Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 68%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $828 in Boumerdes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Chiang Mai and in Boumerdes?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $925 in Chiang Mai and $552 in Boumerdes. That's a gap of about 68%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Chiang Mai and $558 in Boumerdes. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Chiang Mai or in Boumerdes?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Boumerdes, where all-in costs run around $552, than in Chiang Mai at $925. In Boumerdes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Chiang Mai or Boumerdes more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Chiang Mai or Boumerdes?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

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