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 $607 in El Bayadh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $967 in El Bayadh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,327 in El Bayadh, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 40% 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 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$3.16 DZD 418

-35.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$23.28 DZD 3,078

-19.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$3.84 DZD 508

104.69%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$0.72 DZD 95.2

181.94%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.57 DZD 75.7

40.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.23 DZD 30.45

52.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.94 DZD 256

10.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.33 DZD 308

57.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.99 DZD 131

74.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.16 DZD 20.67

881.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.58 DZD 208

-24.05%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.79 DZD 236

10.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$8.76 DZD 1,159

85.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.14 DZD 680

-40.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$16.63 DZD 2,198

-35.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$3.06 DZD 404

-9.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.86 DZD 378

-59.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.70 DZD 225

0.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.74 DZD 97.8

114.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.55 DZD 72.8

152.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.49 DZD 65.1

136.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.66 DZD 87.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.30 DZD 39.78

73.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.70 DZD 356

72.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$6.80 DZD 899

161.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.29 DZD 171

38.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.14 DZD 284

56.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.23 DZD 30.36

295.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$17.46 DZD 2,309

6.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.65 DZD 86.4

116.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.33 DZD 44.11

306.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$5.27 DZD 697

53.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.34 DZD 44.86

261.76%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$32.1K DZD 4.2M

-33.18%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$33.1K DZD 4.4M

-34.03%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$40.70 DZD 5,381

75.26%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$9.56 DZD 1,264

46.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$17.24 DZD 2,279

4.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$23.00 DZD 3,042

77.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.44 DZD 719

5.15%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$92.7 DZD 12.3K

232.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$3,663 DZD 484.4K

300.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$37.31 DZD 4,934

49.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$45.81 DZD 6,057

-43.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$76.6 DZD 10.1K

10.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$77.2 DZD 10.2K

-8.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$194 DZD 25.6K

118.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$113 DZD 15.0K

114.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$271 DZD 35.8K

194.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$184 DZD 24.3K

175.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,263 DZD 167.0K

51.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,154 DZD 152.6K

26.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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 El Bayadh: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $194 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 – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $203 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 40% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $910 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $92.7 in El Bayadh. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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 $607 in El Bayadh, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. El Bayadh costs $607 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.