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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $572 in Laghouat, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $916 in Laghouat, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,260 in Laghouat, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 52% more than Laghouat, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Laghouat are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Laghouat 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$2.74 DZD 363

-27.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$21.68 DZD 2,873

-13.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$4.67 DZD 619

65.95%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.06 DZD 141

81.13%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.65 DZD 85.6

21.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.18 DZD 23.48

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.92 DZD 254

15.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.41 DZD 320

51.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.99 DZD 131

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.33 DZD 43.53

393.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$2.46 DZD 326

-51.63%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.89 DZD 251

5.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$3.80 DZD 504

320.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.84 DZD 907

-55.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$16.78 DZD 2,225

-35.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$4.25 DZD 564

-35.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$3.86 DZD 511

-69.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.69 DZD 224

-2.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.18 DZD 156

28.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.69 DZD 91.5

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.68 DZD 90.0

75.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.71 DZD 93.6

-1.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.32 DZD 42.61

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.38 DZD 315

92.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$6.88 DZD 911

140.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.28 DZD 170

42.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.17 DZD 287

47.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.12 DZD 15.63

633.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$17.38 DZD 2,304

7.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.76 DZD 100

78.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.30 DZD 40.35

346.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.27 DZD 831

25.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.35 DZD 45.91

251.43%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$29.5K DZD 3.9M

-26.66%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$56.9K DZD 7.5M

-60.39%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$40.65 DZD 5,388

73.53%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$9.24 DZD 1,225

48.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$19.36 DZD 2,566

-9.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$17.88 DZD 2,370

131.15%

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

$94.5 DZD 12.5K

225.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,544 DZD 469.7K

312.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$28.93 DZD 3,835

92.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$47.21 DZD 6,258

-44.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$57.7 DZD 7,644

48.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$69.9 DZD 9,259

3.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$126 DZD 16.7K

240.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$71.3 DZD 9,452

234.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$174 DZD 23.0K

370.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$116 DZD 15.4K

339.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$448 DZD 59.4K

342.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$297 DZD 39.4K

399.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$354 DZD 46.9K

75.01%

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 Laghouat: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $126 in Laghouat. 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 75% 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 $22.00 in Laghouat. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $218 in Laghouat – so Laghouat 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 Laghouat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 52% more than Laghouat, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. 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 $858 in Laghouat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Laghouat, 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 $94.5 in Laghouat. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $572 in Laghouat, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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