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 $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $616 in El Bayadh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $969 in El Bayadh, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,322 in El Bayadh, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 38% 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

$1.96 ฿63.6

$3.28 DZD 434

-40.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$23.49 DZD 3,115

-21.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$3.80 DZD 505

107.11%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$0.73 DZD 97.2

167.12%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$0.61 DZD 81.5

39.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$0.21 DZD 27.74

52.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

$1.93 DZD 256

10.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$2.31 DZD 307

59.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$1.03 DZD 137

61.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$0.13 DZD 17.53

1100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$1.57 DZD 209

-24.20%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$1.81 DZD 240

9.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$9.04 DZD 1,198

79.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$5.27 DZD 699

-39.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$16.21 DZD 2,149

-33.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$3.20 DZD 424

-17.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$2.96 DZD 393

-58.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$1.71 DZD 227

-3.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$0.74 DZD 97.6

109.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$0.59 DZD 78.2

125.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$0.47 DZD 61.9

157.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$0.61 DZD 81.4

11.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$0.30 DZD 39.87

90.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$2.77 DZD 367

68.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

$6.86 DZD 910

147.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

$1.36 DZD 180

33.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

$2.11 DZD 280

50.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

$0.25 DZD 33.36

264.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

$17.68 DZD 2,344

6.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$0.70 DZD 92.9

101.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$0.37 DZD 48.56

262.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$5.25 DZD 696

55.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$0.33 DZD 44.17

287.88%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$32.3K DZD 4.3M

-32.51%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$33.2K DZD 4.4M

-32.53%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$41.41 DZD 5,492

70.20%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$9.51 DZD 1,262

47.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$16.70 DZD 2,215

5.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

$23.06 DZD 3,057

79.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$5.25 DZD 696

13.52%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$94.9 DZD 12.6K

219.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$3,608 DZD 478.4K

314.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$37.15 DZD 4,926

47.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$45.31 DZD 6,008

-41.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$74.3 DZD 9,850

15.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$78.3 DZD 10.4K

-11.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

$192 DZD 25.4K

123.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

$116 DZD 15.4K

105.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

$272 DZD 36.1K

198.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

$182 DZD 24.1K

180.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

$1,066 DZD 141.3K

90.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

$1,235 DZD 163.8K

21.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

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 El Bayadh: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $192 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $23.00 in El Bayadh. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $205 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 38% 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $924 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 $303 per month in Chiang Mai and $94.9 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 $848 in Chiang Mai and $616 in El Bayadh, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. El Bayadh costs $616 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 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.