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 $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $615 in Ouargla, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $984 in Ouargla, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,352 in Ouargla, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 37% more than Ouargla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Ouargla are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Ouargla 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$3.11 DZD 411

-37.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$23.66 DZD 3,132

-22.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$3.79 DZD 502

97.89%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$0.76 DZD 101

153.95%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$0.61 DZD 80.9

27.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.21 DZD 27.69

52.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$1.99 DZD 264

8.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$2.31 DZD 306

60.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.03 DZD 137

66.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$0.15 DZD 20.28

940.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$1.57 DZD 208

-24.84%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$1.80 DZD 238

10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$8.82 DZD 1,167

81.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$5.14 DZD 680

-38.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$16.47 DZD 2,180

-33.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$3.05 DZD 404

-13.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$2.92 DZD 386

-59.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$1.70 DZD 225

-2.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$0.80 DZD 106

92.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$0.59 DZD 78.1

133.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$0.50 DZD 66.7

134.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$0.64 DZD 85.3

3.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.28 DZD 36.61

82.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$2.70 DZD 357

67.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$6.78 DZD 897

170.21%

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

$2.07 DZD 274

53.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$0.25 DZD 33.32

260.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$17.07 DZD 2,258

11.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$0.71 DZD 93.3

98.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$0.37 DZD 48.37

254.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$5.21 DZD 689

55.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$0.34 DZD 44.66

276.47%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$32.3K DZD 4.3M

-33.99%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$33.5K DZD 4.4M

-35.17%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$41.30 DZD 5,466

67.55%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$9.44 DZD 1,250

47.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$17.27 DZD 2,286

3.94%

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

$5.27 DZD 698

12.33%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$94.9 DZD 12.6K

215.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$3,566 DZD 471.9K

316.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$36.14 DZD 4,782

55.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$44.90 DZD 5,942

-40.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$74.6 DZD 9,877

13.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$78.1 DZD 10.3K

-8.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$195 DZD 25.8K

122.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$115 DZD 15.2K

108.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$277 DZD 36.7K

187.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$183 DZD 24.2K

172.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Ouargla: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $24 in Ouargla. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $203 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 37% 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $922 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $94.9 in Ouargla. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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 $845 in Chiang Mai and $615 in Ouargla, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ouargla costs $615 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 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.