Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Souk Ahras Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Souk Ahras

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $549 in Souk Ahras, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $837 in Souk Ahras, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,126 in Souk Ahras, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 54% more than Souk Ahras, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Souk Ahras are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Souk Ahras 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$2.46 DZD 325

-20.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$10.63 DZD 1,407

73.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$3.80 DZD 503

97.37%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$0.67 DZD 88.5

188.06%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$0.51 DZD 67.3

52.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.21 DZD 27.78

52.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$1.91 DZD 253

12.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$2.40 DZD 318

54.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$0.87 DZD 115

96.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$0.20 DZD 26.33

680.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$1.24 DZD 164

-4.84%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$1.89 DZD 250

4.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$3.42 DZD 452

369.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$2.80 DZD 371

13.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$16.52 DZD 2,186

-33.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$1.54 DZD 204

70.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$2.98 DZD 394

-60.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$1.21 DZD 160

36.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$1.23 DZD 162

25.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$0.41 DZD 54.0

236.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$0.39 DZD 51.0

200.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$0.23 DZD 30.40

186.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.29 DZD 38.86

75.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$2.17 DZD 288

108.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$7.76 DZD 1,027

136.08%

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

$2.14 DZD 283

48.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$0.22 DZD 29.14

309.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$17.09 DZD 2,262

11.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$0.69 DZD 91.8

104.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$0.44 DZD 58.9

197.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$5.29 DZD 699

52.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$0.33 DZD 43.94

287.88%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$32.5K DZD 4.3M

-34.54%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$33.8K DZD 4.5M

-35.80%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$40.55 DZD 5,367

70.65%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$9.58 DZD 1,268

45.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$19.65 DZD 2,601

-8.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$12.11 DZD 1,603

249.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$3.92 DZD 519

69.90%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$5.45 DZD 721

8.62%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$93.2 DZD 12.3K

220.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$3,576 DZD 473.2K

315.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$30.46 DZD 4,031

84.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$44.74 DZD 5,921

-39.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$80.8 DZD 10.7K

5.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$79.0 DZD 10.4K

-9.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$194 DZD 25.7K

124.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$115 DZD 15.2K

109.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$305 DZD 40.3K

161.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$179 DZD 23.7K

178.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$309 DZD 40.9K

545.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$283 DZD 37.4K

441.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$307 DZD 40.6K

104.61%

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 Souk Ahras: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $194 in Souk Ahras. 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 105% 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 in Chiang Mai versus $11 in Souk Ahras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $166 – making Souk Ahras 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 Souk Ahras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 54% more than Souk Ahras, 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 $823 in Souk Ahras. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Souk Ahras, 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 $93.2 in Souk Ahras. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $845 in Chiang Mai and $549 in Souk Ahras, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Souk Ahras costs $549 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 Souk Ahras. 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.