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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $604 in Ouargla, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $975 in Ouargla, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,346 in Ouargla, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 44% more than Ouargla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Ouargla are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Ouargla 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$3.12 DZD 413

-36.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$23.49 DZD 3,114

-19.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$3.83 DZD 508

102.35%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$0.74 DZD 97.8

159.46%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.60 DZD 80.1

31.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.21 DZD 27.83

71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.99 DZD 264

11.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.43 DZD 322

50.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.03 DZD 136

60.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.14 DZD 17.93

1064.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.59 DZD 210

-25.16%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.84 DZD 244

8.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$8.73 DZD 1,158

83.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$5.27 DZD 699

-42.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$16.77 DZD 2,223

-35.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$3.10 DZD 410

-10.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.92 DZD 387

-59.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.78 DZD 236

-7.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.74 DZD 98.7

105.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.56 DZD 74.2

146.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.50 DZD 66.2

138.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.61 DZD 80.8

14.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.28 DZD 36.97

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.83 DZD 375

61.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$6.11 DZD 810

171.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.34 DZD 178

36.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.08 DZD 276

53.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.25 DZD 33.31

252.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$17.10 DZD 2,266

9.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.70 DZD 93.2

94.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.36 DZD 48.04

272.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.40 DZD 716

45.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.34 DZD 44.40

261.76%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$32.6K DZD 4.3M

-33.68%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$33.7K DZD 4.5M

-33.16%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$41.07 DZD 5,443

71.76%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$9.20 DZD 1,219

48.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$16.89 DZD 2,239

3.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$23.01 DZD 3,050

79.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.50 DZD 729

4.91%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$93.1 DZD 12.3K

229.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,547 DZD 470.2K

311.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$36.39 DZD 4,824

53.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$44.98 DZD 5,962

-41.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$73.7 DZD 9,770

16.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$77.3 DZD 10.2K

-6.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$195 DZD 25.8K

120.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$113 DZD 15.0K

111.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$269 DZD 35.7K

203.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$180 DZD 23.9K

183.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,163 DZD 154.1K

70.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$978 DZD 129.6K

51.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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 Ouargla: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $195 in Ouargla. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $23.00 in Ouargla. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $204 in Ouargla – so Ouargla 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 Ouargla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 44% more than Ouargla, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $905 in Ouargla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ouargla, 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 $93.1 in Ouargla. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $604 in Ouargla, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ouargla costs $604 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 Ouargla. 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.