Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and El Bayadh Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and El Bayadh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $601 in El Bayadh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $960 in El Bayadh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,320 in El Bayadh, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 42% more than El Bayadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and El Bayadh are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, El Bayadh 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$3.17 DZD 420

-38.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$23.26 DZD 3,083

-19.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$3.88 DZD 514

104.12%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$0.74 DZD 98.0

158.11%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.62 DZD 81.5

35.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.23 DZD 30.57

52.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.90 DZD 252

16.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.42 DZD 321

57.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.00 DZD 132

64.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.15 DZD 20.28

980.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.55 DZD 206

-23.87%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.86 DZD 246

8.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$9.13 DZD 1,210

74.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$5.25 DZD 696

-42.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$16.45 DZD 2,180

-34.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.23 DZD 427

-19.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.87 DZD 381

-57.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.76 DZD 233

-3.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.79 DZD 105

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.55 DZD 73.4

140.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.50 DZD 66.8

134.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.65 DZD 86.1

3.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.30 DZD 39.78

86.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.70 DZD 358

67.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$7.15 DZD 947

154.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.29 DZD 170

41.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.17 DZD 288

48.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.23 DZD 30.31

286.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$17.70 DZD 2,346

9.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.67 DZD 88.7

101.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.36 DZD 47.99

275.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$5.36 DZD 711

53.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.36 DZD 48.24

252.78%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$32.8K DZD 4.3M

-35.43%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$33.6K DZD 4.5M

-33.08%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$40.23 DZD 5,331

74.37%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$9.62 DZD 1,275

43.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$17.20 DZD 2,279

2.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$23.56 DZD 3,121

76.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$5.42 DZD 718

6.64%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$92.6 DZD 12.3K

230.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$3,644 DZD 482.9K

306.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$37.37 DZD 4,952

45.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$45.09 DZD 5,975

-42.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$76.1 DZD 10.1K

11.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$75.6 DZD 10.0K

-8.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$195 DZD 25.9K

117.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$117 DZD 15.5K

103.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$269 DZD 35.7K

206.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$182 DZD 24.2K

182.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for El Bayadh: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $195 in El Bayadh. 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 $23.00 in El Bayadh. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $206 in El Bayadh – so El Bayadh 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 El Bayadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 42% more than El Bayadh, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $902 in El Bayadh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $92.6 in El Bayadh. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $601 in El Bayadh, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. El Bayadh costs $601 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 El Bayadh. 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.