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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $559 in Souk Ahras, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $858 in Souk Ahras, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,158 in Souk Ahras, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 53% more than Souk Ahras, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Souk Ahras are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Souk Ahras 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$2.38 DZD 314

-14.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$10.80 DZD 1,430

73.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$3.96 DZD 525

98.48%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$0.67 DZD 88.5

202.99%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$0.50 DZD 65.7

60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$0.23 DZD 30.53

52.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$1.98 DZD 262

8.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$2.34 DZD 309

56.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$0.88 DZD 117

96.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$0.23 DZD 30.20

582.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$1.24 DZD 164

-3.23%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$1.97 DZD 260

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$3.34 DZD 441

385.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$2.79 DZD 369

9.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$16.98 DZD 2,248

-36.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$1.56 DZD 207

77.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$3.07 DZD 406

-61.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$1.22 DZD 162

40.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$1.18 DZD 156

34.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$0.43 DZD 57.0

223.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$0.41 DZD 54.7

182.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$0.25 DZD 33.33

164.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.29 DZD 38.69

79.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.21 DZD 293

110.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$5.88 DZD 778

202.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$1.35 DZD 179

32.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.18 DZD 289

53.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$0.18 DZD 23.26

405.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$17.55 DZD 2,323

6.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$0.65 DZD 86.6

116.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$0.45 DZD 59.2

197.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$5.24 DZD 693

54.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$0.31 DZD 40.97

296.77%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$32.5K DZD 4.3M

-33.98%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$33.1K DZD 4.4M

-34.03%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$41.11 DZD 5,440

73.51%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$9.53 DZD 1,261

47.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$20.24 DZD 2,679

-11.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$12.20 DZD 1,614

234.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$3.90 DZD 516

76.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.50 DZD 727

4.00%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$93.0 DZD 12.3K

231.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$3,590 DZD 475.2K

308.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$31.12 DZD 4,118

79.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$45.62 DZD 6,037

-42.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$78.8 DZD 10.4K

7.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$80.3 DZD 10.6K

-11.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$198 DZD 26.2K

113.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$115 DZD 15.3K

110.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$301 DZD 39.8K

165.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$183 DZD 24.2K

177.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$1,147 DZD 151.8K

67.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$1,113 DZD 147.3K

31.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$296 DZD 39.2K

101.06%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Souk Ahras: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $198 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 101% 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: $244 vs $165 – 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 53% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $838 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $93.0 in Souk Ahras. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $559 in Souk Ahras, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Souk Ahras costs $559 versus $852 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.