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 $611 in Guelma, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $986 in Guelma, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,361 in Guelma, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 40% 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 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$3.17 DZD 421

-38.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$23.99 DZD 3,178

-21.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$3.80 DZD 504

108.42%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$0.72 DZD 95.1

165.28%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.57 DZD 75.7

47.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.21 DZD 27.82

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.98 DZD 262

11.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.35 DZD 312

61.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.98 DZD 130

67.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.16 DZD 20.78

912.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.62 DZD 215

-27.16%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.81 DZD 240

11.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$9.17 DZD 1,215

73.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$5.14 DZD 682

-41.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$16.73 DZD 2,217

-35.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$3.17 DZD 420

-17.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.82 DZD 374

-56.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.70 DZD 226

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.79 DZD 104

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.58 DZD 77.0

127.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.50 DZD 65.7

134.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.65 DZD 85.6

3.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.28 DZD 36.90

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.71 DZD 359

67.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$7.21 DZD 955

152.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.35 DZD 180

35.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.07 DZD 275

56.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.25 DZD 33.32

256.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$17.62 DZD 2,335

9.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.67 DZD 88.2

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

$5.34 DZD 707

54.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.37 DZD 48.41

243.24%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$32.0K DZD 4.2M

-33.98%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$33.5K DZD 4.4M

-32.87%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$40.48 DZD 5,363

73.30%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$9.48 DZD 1,256

45.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$16.90 DZD 2,239

4.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$23.44 DZD 3,105

77.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$5.38 DZD 712

7.43%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$92.7 DZD 12.3K

230.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$3,664 DZD 485.4K

304.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$37.07 DZD 4,912

46.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$44.82 DZD 5,938

-41.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$75.3 DZD 9,971

12.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$78.2 DZD 10.4K

-11.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$196 DZD 26.0K

115.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$114 DZD 15.1K

108.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$276 DZD 36.6K

198.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$185 DZD 24.5K

178.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$544 DZD 72.1K

276.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$392 DZD 51.9K

288.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$323 DZD 42.8K

96.73%

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 Guelma: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $196 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 97% 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 $24.00 in Guelma. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $206 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 40% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $916 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $92.7 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 $611 in Guelma, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Guelma costs $611 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.