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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $621 in Boumerdes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $941 in Boumerdes, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,262 in Boumerdes, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 40% more than Boumerdes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Boumerdes are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Boumerdes 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$3.17 DZD 421

-38.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$23.82 DZD 3,162

-21.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$3.63 DZD 482

115.43%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$0.52 DZD 69.6

275.00%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.54 DZD 71.4

57.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.21 DZD 27.83

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.92 DZD 254

10.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.33 DZD 310

60.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.03 DZD 137

66.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.13 DZD 17.47

1153.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$1.73 DZD 230

-34.10%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.40 DZD 186

37.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$9.12 DZD 1,210

77.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.25 DZD 697

-40.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$16.38 DZD 2,173

-33.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$3.05 DZD 405

-9.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$2.88 DZD 382

-57.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.70 DZD 225

-4.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$0.54 DZD 72.1

194.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$0.54 DZD 71.5

159.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$0.46 DZD 61.0

154.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.72 DZD 96.0

-8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.27 DZD 35.32

96.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.71 DZD 360

73.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$6.92 DZD 918

169.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.30 DZD 173

38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.14 DZD 284

50.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.31 DZD 41.60

190.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$17.59 DZD 2,335

9.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$0.69 DZD 91.9

104.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.33 DZD 44.25

290.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.68 DZD 753

38.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$0.37 DZD 48.50

243.24%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$14.2K DZD 1.9M

49.59%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$34.3K DZD 4.5M

-35.17%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$41.38 DZD 5,492

66.92%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$9.18 DZD 1,218

53.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$11.96 DZD 1,588

50.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$23.48 DZD 3,117

74.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$2.02 DZD 268

193.07%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$95.7 DZD 12.7K

212.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$3,655 DZD 485.1K

309.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$11.78 DZD 1,564

364.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$45.91 DZD 6,093

-41.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$74.7 DZD 9,911

13.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$75.7 DZD 10.1K

-6.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$195 DZD 25.9K

119.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$141 DZD 18.7K

68.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$234 DZD 31.0K

242.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$169 DZD 22.4K

204.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,146 DZD 152.0K

72.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,122 DZD 148.9K

31.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Boumerdes: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $195 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $24.00 in Boumerdes. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $202 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 40%, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $932 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 22% 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 $19.00 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $621 in Boumerdes, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.