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 $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $558 in Laghouat, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $908 in Laghouat, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,258 in Laghouat, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 51% more than Laghouat, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Chiang Mai and Laghouat are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Laghouat 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$2.70 DZD 358

-27.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$21.67 DZD 2,868

-14.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$4.82 DZD 637

55.60%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$1.05 DZD 139

83.81%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$0.70 DZD 92.2

11.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.18 DZD 24.26

77.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$1.91 DZD 253

12.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$2.42 DZD 320

53.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.02 DZD 135

67.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$0.33 DZD 43.12

372.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$2.48 DZD 328

-52.42%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$1.88 DZD 249

5.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$3.79 DZD 502

323.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$6.82 DZD 903

-53.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$17.33 DZD 2,294

-36.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$4.21 DZD 558

-37.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$3.98 DZD 526

-70.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$1.77 DZD 234

-6.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$1.14 DZD 151

35.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$0.70 DZD 93.0

97.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$0.66 DZD 87.5

77.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$0.67 DZD 88.8

-1.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.30 DZD 39.36

70.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$2.29 DZD 303

97.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$6.92 DZD 916

164.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$1.31 DZD 173

37.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$2.16 DZD 285

47.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$0.11 DZD 15.19

718.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$17.31 DZD 2,290

9.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$0.76 DZD 100

85.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$0.28 DZD 36.75

367.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$6.18 DZD 817

30.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$0.37 DZD 49.00

245.95%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$29.8K DZD 3.9M

-28.47%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$56.7K DZD 7.5M

-61.75%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$41.19 DZD 5,451

68.00%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$9.46 DZD 1,252

47.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$19.79 DZD 2,619

-9.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$17.64 DZD 2,334

139.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$5.45 DZD 721

8.62%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$94.2 DZD 12.5K

217.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$3,605 DZD 477.1K

311.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$28.60 DZD 3,784

96.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$45.50 DZD 6,021

-40.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$57.2 DZD 7,565

48.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$69.7 DZD 9,218

3.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$125 DZD 16.6K

247.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$71.6 DZD 9,476

234.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$178 DZD 23.6K

347.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$118 DZD 15.6K

322.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$454 DZD 60.1K

339.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$310 DZD 41.0K

394.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$361 DZD 47.8K

73.97%

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 20, 2026

Last update for Laghouat: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $125 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 74% 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $22 in Laghouat. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $221 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 51% 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $837 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $94.2 in Laghouat. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% 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 $845 in Chiang Mai and $558 in Laghouat, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Laghouat costs $558 versus $845 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.