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 $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $515 in Djelfa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $802 in Djelfa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,088 in Djelfa, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 65% 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 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$3.25 DZD 431

-39.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$20.85 DZD 2,765

-11.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$4.62 DZD 613

70.35%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$0.77 DZD 102

153.25%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$0.60 DZD 79.0

41.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$0.21 DZD 27.80

52.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

$1.97 DZD 261

8.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$2.36 DZD 313

55.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$0.91 DZD 120

82.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$0.14 DZD 18.99

1014.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$1.75 DZD 233

-32.00%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$1.49 DZD 198

33.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$4.50 DZD 597

260.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$3.32 DZD 441

-4.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$11.32 DZD 1,501

-4.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$2.73 DZD 362

-2.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$2.81 DZD 372

-56.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$1.07 DZD 142

54.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$0.56 DZD 73.8

176.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$0.57 DZD 75.2

133.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$0.50 DZD 65.8

142.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$0.40 DZD 52.4

70.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$0.30 DZD 40.26

90.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$2.80 DZD 372

67.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

$6.92 DZD 918

145.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

$1.34 DZD 178

35.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

$2.18 DZD 289

45.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

$0.25 DZD 33.28

264.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

$17.07 DZD 2,263

9.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$0.70 DZD 92.4

101.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$0.36 DZD 47.80

272.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$4.03 DZD 534

101.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$0.37 DZD 48.42

245.95%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$35.5K DZD 4.7M

-38.53%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$34.0K DZD 4.5M

-34.16%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$40.85 DZD 5,417

72.53%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$9.32 DZD 1,235

50.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$18.08 DZD 2,398

-2.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

$15.88 DZD 2,106

160.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$6.30 DZD 835

-5.40%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$92.8 DZD 12.3K

226.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$3,605 DZD 478.1K

314.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$29.08 DZD 3,857

88.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$39.55 DZD 5,244

-33.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$65.3 DZD 8,658

31.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$78.3 DZD 10.4K

-11.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

$138 DZD 18.2K

211.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

$75.2 DZD 9,978

217.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

$194 DZD 25.8K

316.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

$109 DZD 14.5K

366.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

$1,136 DZD 150.7K

78.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

$1,155 DZD 153.2K

30.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

$270 DZD 35.8K

130.82%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Djelfa: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $138 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $21.00 in Djelfa. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $158 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 65% 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $773 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 $303 per month in Chiang Mai and $92.8 in Djelfa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 53% 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 $848 in Chiang Mai and $515 in Djelfa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Djelfa costs $515 versus $848 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.