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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $571 in Laghouat, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $915 in Laghouat, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,259 in Laghouat, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$2.69 DZD 356

-24.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$21.01 DZD 2,781

-10.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$4.62 DZD 611

70.13%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$1.05 DZD 139

93.33%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$0.64 DZD 85.0

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$0.18 DZD 23.74

94.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$1.98 DZD 262

8.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$2.32 DZD 307

58.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$0.99 DZD 131

74.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.35 DZD 46.91

348.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$2.52 DZD 334

-52.38%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$1.82 DZD 240

8.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$3.65 DZD 482

344.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.88 DZD 910

-55.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$16.87 DZD 2,232

-35.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$4.35 DZD 576

-36.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$3.76 DZD 498

-68.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$1.71 DZD 226

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$1.13 DZD 150

40.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$0.68 DZD 90.4

104.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$0.63 DZD 83.7

84.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$0.66 DZD 86.8

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.32 DZD 42.63

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.31 DZD 305

101.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$6.80 DZD 900

161.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$1.30 DZD 172

37.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.09 DZD 276

59.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$0.13 DZD 17.80

600.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$17.38 DZD 2,300

7.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$0.77 DZD 101

83.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$0.28 DZD 36.71

378.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$6.26 DZD 829

29.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$0.35 DZD 46.30

251.43%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$29.0K DZD 3.8M

-26.12%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$55.4K DZD 7.3M

-60.61%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$41.14 DZD 5,445

73.38%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$9.13 DZD 1,208

53.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$19.71 DZD 2,608

-9.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$18.03 DZD 2,386

126.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.48 DZD 725

4.38%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$94.2 DZD 12.5K

227.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$3,647 DZD 482.7K

302.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$28.14 DZD 3,724

98.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$46.86 DZD 6,202

-44.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$56.7 DZD 7,508

49.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$71.0 DZD 9,401

-0.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$127 DZD 16.8K

234.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$70.0 DZD 9,265

246.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$177 DZD 23.5K

349.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$117 DZD 15.5K

333.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$443 DZD 58.6K

333.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$294 DZD 38.9K

398.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$354 DZD 46.8K

68.32%

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 Laghouat: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $127 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 68% 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 $21.00 in Laghouat. Groceries tell a different story – $244 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 49% more than Laghouat, 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 $857 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 $308 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 12% 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 $571 in Laghouat, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Laghouat costs $571 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 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.