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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $605 in Ouargla, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $962 in Ouargla, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,319 in Ouargla, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 41% more than Ouargla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Ouargla are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Ouargla 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$3.12 DZD 413

-34.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$23.79 DZD 3,149

-21.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$3.96 DZD 524

98.48%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$0.73 DZD 96.8

178.08%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$0.57 DZD 75.4

40.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$0.21 DZD 27.75

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$1.99 DZD 263

7.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$2.39 DZD 317

53.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$1.04 DZD 138

66.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.14 DZD 18.12

1021.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$1.59 DZD 210

-24.53%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$1.80 DZD 238

9.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$9.17 DZD 1,213

76.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.41 DZD 716

-43.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$16.71 DZD 2,212

-35.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$3.09 DZD 409

-10.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$2.86 DZD 378

-59.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$1.72 DZD 227

-0.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$0.79 DZD 104

101.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$0.56 DZD 73.5

148.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$0.46 DZD 60.7

152.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$0.61 DZD 80.8

8.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.30 DZD 40.17

73.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.71 DZD 359

71.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$6.08 DZD 805

192.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$1.34 DZD 178

33.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.15 DZD 284

55.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$0.25 DZD 33.35

264.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$17.67 DZD 2,338

5.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$0.66 DZD 87.3

113.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$0.36 DZD 48.25

272.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$5.17 DZD 685

56.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$0.36 DZD 48.06

241.67%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$32.9K DZD 4.3M

-34.77%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$33.3K DZD 4.4M

-34.49%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$40.44 DZD 5,352

76.38%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$9.28 DZD 1,228

50.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$17.12 DZD 2,266

4.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$23.22 DZD 3,073

75.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.50 DZD 728

4.00%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$92.6 DZD 12.3K

233.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$3,603 DZD 476.8K

307.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$36.59 DZD 4,842

52.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$45.57 DZD 6,031

-42.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$75.6 DZD 10.0K

12.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$77.2 DZD 10.2K

-8.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$196 DZD 25.9K

116.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$116 DZD 15.4K

108.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$277 DZD 36.6K

187.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$185 DZD 24.5K

173.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$1,259 DZD 166.7K

52.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$1,122 DZD 148.5K

30.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

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 Ouargla: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $196 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 $24.00 in Ouargla. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $205 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 41% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $907 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $92.6 in Ouargla. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $605 in Ouargla, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ouargla costs $605 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 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.