Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Guelma Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Guelma

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $603 in Guelma, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $958 in Guelma, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,312 in Guelma, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 41% more than Guelma, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$3.26 DZD 431

-37.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$23.27 DZD 3,077

-19.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$3.98 DZD 526

97.49%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$0.77 DZD 102

163.64%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.61 DZD 80.3

31.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.21 DZD 27.75

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.90 DZD 252

12.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.41 DZD 318

52.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.99 DZD 131

74.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.16 DZD 20.71

881.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.61 DZD 213

-25.47%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.87 DZD 248

5.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$8.93 DZD 1,181

81.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.43 DZD 718

-43.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$16.83 DZD 2,226

-35.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$3.17 DZD 419

-12.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.91 DZD 385

-59.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.69 DZD 223

1.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.76 DZD 100

109.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.59 DZD 77.6

135.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.49 DZD 64.9

136.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.61 DZD 80.2

8.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.28 DZD 37.01

85.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.81 DZD 371

65.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$6.93 DZD 917

156.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.30 DZD 172

37.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$2.14 DZD 283

56.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.25 DZD 33.10

264.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$17.15 DZD 2,268

8.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.65 DZD 85.7

116.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.34 DZD 44.56

294.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$5.19 DZD 687

56.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.33 DZD 44.09

272.73%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$32.3K DZD 4.3M

-33.67%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$33.9K DZD 4.5M

-35.53%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$41.42 DZD 5,477

72.21%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$9.18 DZD 1,214

52.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$16.81 DZD 2,223

6.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$23.68 DZD 3,132

72.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.42 DZD 717

5.54%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$93.0 DZD 12.3K

231.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$3,547 DZD 468.9K

313.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$36.88 DZD 4,877

51.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$45.40 DZD 6,003

-42.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$76.6 DZD 10.1K

10.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$77.4 DZD 10.2K

-8.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$195 DZD 25.8K

116.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$114 DZD 15.1K

112.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$277 DZD 36.6K

187.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$182 DZD 24.0K

178.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,147 DZD 151.6K

67.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,131 DZD 149.6K

29.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$312 DZD 41.3K

90.48%

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 Guelma: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $195 in Guelma. 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 90% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $23.00 in Guelma. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $207 in Guelma – so Guelma 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 Guelma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 41% more than Guelma, 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 $905 in Guelma. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Guelma, 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 $93.0 in Guelma. 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $603 in Guelma, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Guelma costs $603 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 Guelma. 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.