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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $539 in El Bayadh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $877 in El Bayadh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,215 in El Bayadh, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 73% more than El Bayadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and El Bayadh are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, El Bayadh 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$2.88 DZD 384

-27.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$18.90 DZD 2,521

3.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$3.45 DZD 460

64.35%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$0.82 DZD 109

120.73%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$0.62 DZD 83.4

24.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$0.31 DZD 40.90

12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$1.40 DZD 187

57.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$2.00 DZD 266

89.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$1.00 DZD 134

105.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.14 DZD 18.45

978.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.18 DZD 158

18.64%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$1.40 DZD 187

61.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$8.29 DZD 1,106

95.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$4.17 DZD 556

-30.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$14.86 DZD 1,982

-36.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$2.19 DZD 292

22.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$2.93 DZD 390

-62.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.15 DZD 153

40.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$0.99 DZD 132

47.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$0.64 DZD 84.9

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$0.51 DZD 68.0

107.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$0.81 DZD 108

-11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.26 DZD 34.96

103.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.83 DZD 378

49.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$7.04 DZD 939

159.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$1.30 DZD 173

25.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$1.85 DZD 247

56.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

$0.15 DZD 20.06

486.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

$6.02 DZD 803

793.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$0.60 DZD 79.7

95.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$0.38 DZD 51.1

52.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$4.52 DZD 603

-47.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$0.34 DZD 45.16

326.47%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$37.1K DZD 4.9M

-43.30%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$34.9K DZD 4.7M

-24.22%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$38.05 DZD 5,074

67.28%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$9.95 DZD 1,327

29.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$10.96 DZD 1,461

87.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$21.48 DZD 2,864

81.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$4.82 DZD 642

36.51%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$89.6 DZD 12.0K

774.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$3,789 DZD 505.4K

287.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$30.61 DZD 4,082

80.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$35.19 DZD 4,693

-29.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$67.4 DZD 8,989

39.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$82.0 DZD 10.9K

-9.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$178 DZD 23.7K

176.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$101 DZD 13.4K

185.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$283 DZD 37.8K

214.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$211 DZD 28.2K

146.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

$1,330 DZD 177.4K

48.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for El Bayadh: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $178 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in El Bayadh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $184 – making El Bayadh the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 73% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $808 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $89.6 in El Bayadh. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in El Bayadh, where all-in costs run around $539, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In El Bayadh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. El Bayadh costs $539 versus $932 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.