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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $452 in Setif, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $762 in Setif, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,071 in Setif, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 90% more than Setif, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Setif are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Setif 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$2.28 DZD 303

-14.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$16.12 DZD 2,136

13.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$3.91 DZD 519

91.30%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$0.67 DZD 89.2

201.49%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.60 DZD 79.9

41.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.21 DZD 27.74

71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.48 DZD 196

44.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.12 DZD 281

69.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$0.70 DZD 93.3

135.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.14 DZD 18.16

1021.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.07 DZD 142

11.21%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.85 DZD 246

4.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$6.69 DZD 887

142.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.09 DZD 674

-41.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$14.07 DZD 1,864

-22.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.82 DZD 374

-3.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$2.97 DZD 393

-60.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.50 DZD 198

12.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$0.76 DZD 101

110.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.52 DZD 69.0

165.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.50 DZD 66.5

140.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.45 DZD 59.9

48.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.28 DZD 36.66

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.81 DZD 373

65.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$5.33 DZD 707

230.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.34 DZD 178

38.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.11 DZD 280

56.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.16 DZD 20.85

450.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$5.89 DZD 781

228.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.71 DZD 93.8

91.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.34 DZD 44.94

294.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$5.11 DZD 677

60.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$0.37 DZD 48.47

229.73%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$29.0K DZD 3.8M

-26.39%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$20.9K DZD 2.8M

7.93%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$38.53 DZD 5,106

83.42%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$9.25 DZD 1,226

51.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$13.15 DZD 1,743

33.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$18.16 DZD 2,406

132.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$5.69 DZD 754

20.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$5.59 DZD 741

5.90%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$93.8 DZD 12.4K

228.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$3,669 DZD 486.2K

305.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$24.41 DZD 3,235

128.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$26.82 DZD 3,554

-2.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$44.78 DZD 5,935

85.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$56.4 DZD 7,473

24.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$74.8 DZD 9,911

477.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$54.9 DZD 7,281

334.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$182 DZD 24.1K

351.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$153 DZD 20.2K

235.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$922 DZD 122.2K

107.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$386 DZD 51.2K

279.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$299 DZD 39.7K

93.57%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Setif: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 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 94% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $16.00 in Setif. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 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 90% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $679 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $93.8 in Setif. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $452 in Setif, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Setif costs $452 versus $861 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.