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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $547 in Souk Ahras, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $837 in Souk Ahras, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,126 in Souk Ahras, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 59% more than Souk Ahras, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Souk Ahras are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Souk Ahras 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$2.46 DZD 326

-19.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$10.96 DZD 1,453

71.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$3.95 DZD 523

96.20%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$0.65 DZD 86.2

195.38%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.50 DZD 65.9

58.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.23 DZD 30.57

56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.92 DZD 255

15.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.41 DZD 320

51.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.81 DZD 107

103.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.23 DZD 29.86

608.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.25 DZD 166

-4.80%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.94 DZD 258

3.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$3.46 DZD 458

361.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$2.85 DZD 378

6.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$16.78 DZD 2,223

-35.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.56 DZD 206

76.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$2.95 DZD 391

-60.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.23 DZD 163

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.18 DZD 156

28.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.44 DZD 57.9

213.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.38 DZD 50.4

213.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.23 DZD 30.36

204.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.29 DZD 38.96

93.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.28 DZD 303

100.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$6.18 DZD 819

167.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.29 DZD 171

41.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.17 DZD 288

47.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.18 DZD 24.09

388.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$17.64 DZD 2,338

6.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.66 DZD 87.2

106.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.48 DZD 63.5

179.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.34 DZD 708

46.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.33 DZD 44.05

272.73%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$32.9K DZD 4.4M

-34.31%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$34.3K DZD 4.5M

-34.26%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$40.58 DZD 5,379

73.83%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$9.30 DZD 1,233

47.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$20.01 DZD 2,652

-12.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$12.05 DZD 1,598

242.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$4.07 DZD 540

71.01%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.42 DZD 719

6.46%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$91.5 DZD 12.1K

235.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,633 DZD 481.5K

302.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$30.65 DZD 4,062

82.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$46.03 DZD 6,101

-43.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$79.2 DZD 10.5K

8.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$78.8 DZD 10.4K

-8.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$197 DZD 26.1K

118.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$114 DZD 15.2K

108.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$305 DZD 40.4K

168.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$182 DZD 24.1K

181.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,133 DZD 150.1K

75.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,151 DZD 152.5K

28.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$297 DZD 39.4K

108.34%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Souk Ahras: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $197 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 108% 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 $11.00 in Souk Ahras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $164 – 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 59% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $821 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $91.5 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $547 in Souk Ahras, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Souk Ahras costs $547 versus $869 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.