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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $541 in Jijel, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $876 in Jijel, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,211 in Jijel, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 76% more than Jijel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Jijel are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Jijel 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$2.58 DZD 342

-18.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$28.96 DZD 3,840

-31.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$4.37 DZD 580

32.49%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$1.00 DZD 132

83.00%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$0.65 DZD 85.7

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.28 DZD 37.01

10.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$2.29 DZD 304

2.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.38 DZD 315

55.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$0.88 DZD 117

130.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.15 DZD 19.30

966.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.14 DZD 151

24.56%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$1.36 DZD 180

60.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$8.37 DZD 1,109

90.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$4.03 DZD 534

-23.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$12.37 DZD 1,641

-20.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$2.12 DZD 282

24.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$2.79 DZD 370

-60.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.16 DZD 154

40.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$0.75 DZD 99.5

104.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.62 DZD 82.2

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.39 DZD 52.4

189.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.42 DZD 56.3

76.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.28 DZD 37.30

78.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$2.38 DZD 316

79.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$6.84 DZD 907

162.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.27 DZD 168

33.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.02 DZD 268

43.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.24 DZD 31.89

291.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$6.32 DZD 838

774.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$0.56 DZD 74.7

119.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.22 DZD 29.11

140.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$5.76 DZD 764

-58.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$0.38 DZD 50.0

278.95%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$37.2K DZD 4.9M

-42.98%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$36.4K DZD 4.8M

-24.90%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$40.78 DZD 5,408

59.22%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$6.77 DZD 897

97.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$13.03 DZD 1,728

59.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$17.13 DZD 2,271

135.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$4.60 DZD 609

45.87%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$85.9 DZD 11.4K

815.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$1,394 DZD 184.9K

984.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$33.19 DZD 4,401

69.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$34.37 DZD 4,559

-27.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$63.4 DZD 8,408

46.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$66.4 DZD 8,801

13.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$204 DZD 27.0K

137.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$125 DZD 16.6K

129.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$286 DZD 37.9K

218.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$211 DZD 28.0K

150.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$779 DZD 103.4K

154.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$413 DZD 54.8K

250.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$257 DZD 34.1K

135.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.3

5.09%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Jijel: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $204 in Jijel. 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 135% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $29.00 in Jijel. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $170 in Jijel – so Jijel 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 Jijel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 76% more than Jijel, 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $811 in Jijel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jijel, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $85.9 in Jijel. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jijel, where all-in costs run around $541, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Jijel it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jijel costs $541 versus $950 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 Jijel. 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.