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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $572 in Jijel, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $914 in Jijel, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,256 in Jijel, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 49% more than Jijel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Jijel are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Jijel 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$2.54 DZD 337

-19.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$23.43 DZD 3,100

-20.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$4.65 DZD 616

69.03%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$0.96 DZD 127

111.46%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$0.61 DZD 81.2

31.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$0.23 DZD 30.46

52.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$1.89 DZD 251

13.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$2.43 DZD 321

51.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$0.87 DZD 115

98.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.13 DZD 17.59

1107.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$1.43 DZD 189

-16.08%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$1.82 DZD 240

8.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$8.81 DZD 1,166

84.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.58 DZD 606

-33.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$12.57 DZD 1,664

-14.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$3.22 DZD 426

-13.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$2.90 DZD 384

-59.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$1.48 DZD 196

15.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$0.74 DZD 98.6

114.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$0.59 DZD 77.7

135.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$0.39 DZD 51.1

197.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$0.40 DZD 52.3

65.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.28 DZD 36.89

85.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.38 DZD 315

95.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$6.89 DZD 912

158.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$1.29 DZD 171

38.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.14 DZD 283

56.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$0.22 DZD 28.96

313.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$17.48 DZD 2,313

6.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$0.67 DZD 88.1

110.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$0.22 DZD 29.18

509.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$5.67 DZD 750

43.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$0.36 DZD 47.69

241.67%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$36.2K DZD 4.8M

-40.77%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$33.4K DZD 4.4M

-34.73%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$40.54 DZD 5,366

75.95%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$6.86 DZD 908

104.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$17.86 DZD 2,364

0.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$17.64 DZD 2,335

131.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.06 DZD 802

-5.61%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$87.6 DZD 11.6K

251.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$1,394 DZD 184.5K

952.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$37.40 DZD 4,950

49.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$33.21 DZD 4,395

-21.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$63.2 DZD 8,368

34.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$65.9 DZD 8,716

7.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$199 DZD 26.4K

112.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$127 DZD 16.8K

91.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$273 DZD 36.2K

191.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$181 DZD 23.9K

180.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$791 DZD 104.7K

142.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$414 DZD 54.8K

253.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$252 DZD 33.4K

135.80%

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 Jijel: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $199 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 136% 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 Jijel. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $185 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 49% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $859 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $87.6 in Jijel. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $572 in Jijel, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jijel costs $572 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 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.