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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $512 in Djelfa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $797 in Djelfa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,082 in Djelfa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 66% more than Djelfa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Djelfa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Djelfa 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$3.17 DZD 419

-35.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$20.46 DZD 2,705

-8.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$4.71 DZD 623

66.88%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$0.71 DZD 93.4

185.92%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.55 DZD 73.2

45.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.21 DZD 27.74

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.89 DZD 250

13.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.34 DZD 309

56.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.92 DZD 121

88.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.14 DZD 18.67

1021.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.80 DZD 238

-33.33%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.43 DZD 189

37.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$4.67 DZD 617

247.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$3.48 DZD 460

-12.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$11.07 DZD 1,464

-2.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.69 DZD 356

2.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.96 DZD 392

-60.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.05 DZD 139

62.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.55 DZD 73.1

189.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.60 DZD 79.1

131.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.47 DZD 61.7

146.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.39 DZD 51.9

69.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.28 DZD 36.78

85.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.83 DZD 374

64.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$6.96 DZD 921

155.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.30 DZD 172

37.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.16 DZD 286

54.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.25 DZD 33.18

264.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$17.64 DZD 2,333

5.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.67 DZD 88.4

110.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.33 DZD 44.21

306.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$4.03 DZD 533

101.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.34 DZD 44.65

261.76%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$35.5K DZD 4.7M

-39.63%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$33.7K DZD 4.5M

-35.33%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$41.08 DZD 5,431

73.64%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$9.29 DZD 1,228

50.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$18.08 DZD 2,391

-0.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$15.74 DZD 2,081

159.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.28 DZD 830

-8.92%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$94.3 DZD 12.5K

227.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$3,592 DZD 474.9K

308.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$29.23 DZD 3,865

90.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$40.32 DZD 5,331

-35.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$65.4 DZD 8,644

29.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$76.7 DZD 10.1K

-7.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$137 DZD 18.1K

208.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$76.4 DZD 10.1K

217.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$198 DZD 26.2K

302.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$109 DZD 14.4K

365.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,156 DZD 152.8K

65.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,147 DZD 151.6K

27.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$257 DZD 34.0K

131.38%

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 Djelfa: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $137 in Djelfa. 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 131% 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 $20.00 in Djelfa. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $159 in Djelfa – so Djelfa 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 Djelfa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 66% more than Djelfa, 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 $768 in Djelfa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $94.3 in Djelfa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $512 in Djelfa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Djelfa costs $512 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 Djelfa. 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.