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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $619 in Guelma, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $965 in Guelma, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,312 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 35% lower, Guelma 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$3.16 DZD 419

-37.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$23.35 DZD 3,094

-19.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$4.00 DZD 530

93.75%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$0.78 DZD 103

146.15%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.62 DZD 82.0

27.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.23 DZD 30.54

56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.91 DZD 254

15.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.30 DZD 305

59.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.03 DZD 137

60.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.14 DZD 19.13

1064.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.64 DZD 217

-27.44%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.86 DZD 247

7.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$9.05 DZD 1,199

76.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$5.23 DZD 693

-42.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$16.46 DZD 2,182

-34.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$3.23 DZD 428

-14.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.81 DZD 372

-58.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.75 DZD 232

-6.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.79 DZD 105

92.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.59 DZD 77.9

133.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.50 DZD 66.8

138.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.65 DZD 86.3

7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.28 DZD 36.70

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.70 DZD 358

69.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$6.79 DZD 900

143.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.33 DZD 176

37.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.08 DZD 275

53.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.23 DZD 30.30

282.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$17.25 DZD 2,287

8.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.67 DZD 88.8

102.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.34 DZD 44.71

294.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.26 DZD 697

49.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.37 DZD 48.51

232.43%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$32.6K DZD 4.3M

-33.65%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$33.6K DZD 4.4M

-32.80%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$41.33 DZD 5,478

70.68%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$9.21 DZD 1,221

48.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$17.03 DZD 2,257

2.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$23.07 DZD 3,057

79.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.44 DZD 721

6.07%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$94.6 DZD 12.5K

224.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,642 DZD 482.7K

301.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$36.56 DZD 4,846

52.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$46.15 DZD 6,117

-43.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$74.3 DZD 9,840

15.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$78.0 DZD 10.3K

-7.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$194 DZD 25.7K

122.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$115 DZD 15.2K

107.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$274 DZD 36.4K

197.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$184 DZD 24.4K

177.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,153 DZD 152.9K

71.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,128 DZD 149.5K

31.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$306 DZD 40.5K

102.35%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Guelma: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $194 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 102% 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 – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $205 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $928 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $94.6 in Guelma. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $619 in Guelma, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Guelma costs $619 versus $869 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.