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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $462 in Setif, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $776 in Setif, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,089 in Setif, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 88% more than Setif, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Setif are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Setif 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$2.38 DZD 315

-18.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$16.25 DZD 2,157

14.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$3.88 DZD 515

101.55%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$0.63 DZD 83.8

209.52%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$0.58 DZD 76.5

46.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.23 DZD 30.58

52.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.42 DZD 189

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.20 DZD 292

69.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.74 DZD 97.8

131.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$0.14 DZD 19.00

1064.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$1.03 DZD 136

10.68%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$1.81 DZD 240

6.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$6.50 DZD 862

149.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.10 DZD 676

-38.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$14.50 DZD 1,924

-24.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.76 DZD 366

-0.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$2.92 DZD 388

-58.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.46 DZD 193

10.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$0.78 DZD 103

103.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$0.52 DZD 69.2

169.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$0.47 DZD 62.2

148.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.46 DZD 60.6

43.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.28 DZD 36.64

89.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.79 DZD 370

68.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$5.41 DZD 718

244.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.35 DZD 179

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.01 DZD 267

60.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.17 DZD 22.40

429.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$5.69 DZD 755

237.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$0.71 DZD 94.2

98.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.34 DZD 44.53

279.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$4.95 DZD 657

58.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$0.33 DZD 44.35

284.85%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$28.4K DZD 3.8M

-25.16%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$20.4K DZD 2.7M

8.77%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$39.44 DZD 5,234

75.13%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$9.56 DZD 1,269

47.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$13.34 DZD 1,771

34.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$18.43 DZD 2,445

122.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$5.65 DZD 750

23.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.57 DZD 739

6.28%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$93.5 DZD 12.4K

219.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$3,549 DZD 470.9K

321.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$24.93 DZD 3,309

119.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$26.95 DZD 3,576

-0.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$44.23 DZD 5,871

92.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$55.0 DZD 7,295

28.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$74.8 DZD 9,931

472.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$56.2 DZD 7,458

322.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$179 DZD 23.8K

347.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$155 DZD 20.5K

233.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$957 DZD 127.1K

106.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$383 DZD 50.9K

284.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$304 DZD 40.3K

103.36%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Setif: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $74.8 in Setif. 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 103% 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 $16.00 in Setif. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $179 – making Setif the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Setif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 88% more than Setif, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $693 in Setif. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Setif, 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 $93.5 in Setif. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $462 in Setif, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Setif costs $462 versus $866 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 Setif. 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.