Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and M'Sila Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and M'Sila

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $536 in M'Sila, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $845 in M'Sila, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,154 in M'Sila, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 58% more than M'Sila, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and M'Sila are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, M'Sila 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$1.91 DZD 252

2.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$19.57 DZD 2,590

-5.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$3.83 DZD 507

95.82%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$0.41 DZD 53.9

370.73%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$0.56 DZD 74.4

39.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.16 DZD 21.57

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$2.00 DZD 265

7.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$2.40 DZD 318

54.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$0.84 DZD 111

103.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$0.11 DZD 14.75

1318.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$1.43 DZD 189

-17.48%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$1.45 DZD 192

36.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$3.10 DZD 411

417.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$5.46 DZD 723

-41.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$9.36 DZD 1,239

16.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$3.13 DZD 414

-15.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$2.79 DZD 369

-58.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$1.71 DZD 226

-3.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$0.58 DZD 77.1

165.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$0.53 DZD 69.9

160.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$0.29 DZD 38.25

303.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$0.13 DZD 17.26

407.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.30 DZD 39.92

70.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$2.73 DZD 361

65.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$7.08 DZD 937

158.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$1.34 DZD 178

34.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$2.11 DZD 279

50.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$0.23 DZD 30.35

291.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$17.27 DZD 2,285

10.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$0.67 DZD 88.3

110.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$0.36 DZD 47.72

263.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$5.40 DZD 715

49.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$0.35 DZD 46.79

265.71%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$36.0K DZD 4.8M

-40.80%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$33.8K DZD 4.5M

-35.71%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$24.52 DZD 3,245

182.22%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$7.69 DZD 1,017

81.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$17.91 DZD 2,370

0.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$23.35 DZD 3,090

81.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$6.34 DZD 840

-6.62%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$92.8 DZD 12.3K

222.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$3,597 DZD 476.1K

312.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$36.87 DZD 4,880

52.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$46.33 DZD 6,131

-41.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$75.0 DZD 9,924

13.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$76.9 DZD 10.2K

-6.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$194 DZD 25.7K

123.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$117 DZD 15.5K

104.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$269 DZD 35.6K

196.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$180 DZD 23.8K

176.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$441 DZD 58.4K

352.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$654 DZD 86.6K

134.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$256 DZD 33.9K

145.42%

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 M'Sila: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $194 in M'Sila. 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 145% 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 $20 in M'Sila. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $159 in M'Sila – so M'Sila 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 M'Sila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 58% more than M'Sila, 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $803 in M'Sila. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in M'Sila, 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 $92.8 in M'Sila. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 53% 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 $536 in M'Sila, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. M'Sila costs $536 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 M'Sila. 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.