🙂A single person spends $539 per month in El Bayadh vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $877 per month in El Bayadh vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,215 per month in El Bayadh vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂El Bayadh is about 42% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both El Bayadh and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – El Bayadh61% lower, Chiang Mai32% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
El Bayadh
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.88DZD 384
$2.08฿69.2
38.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.90DZD 2,521
$19.61฿652
-3.62%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.45DZD 460
$5.67฿189
-39.15%
Cappuccino
$0.82DZD 109
$1.81฿60.0
-54.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62DZD 83.4
$0.77฿25.55
-19.48%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31DZD 40.90
$0.35฿11.48
-11.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.40DZD 187
$2.21฿73.6
-36.65%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00DZD 266
$3.79฿126
-47.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
El Bayadh
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.00DZD 134
$2.05฿68.1
-51.22%
White Bread(500g)
$0.14DZD 18.45
$1.51฿50.4
-90.73%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.18DZD 158
$1.40฿46.51
-15.71%
Eggs
$1.40DZD 187
$2.26฿75.1
-38.05%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.29DZD 1,106
$16.19฿538
-48.80%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.17DZD 556
$2.90฿96.3
43.79%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.86DZD 1,982
$9.42฿313
57.75%
Apples(1kg)
$2.19DZD 292
$2.68฿89.1
-18.28%
Banana(1kg)
$2.93DZD 390
$1.09฿36.23
168.81%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.15DZD 153
$1.62฿53.8
-29.01%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.99DZD 132
$1.46฿48.55
-32.19%
Potato(1kg)
$0.64DZD 84.9
$1.28฿42.48
-50.00%
Onion(1kg)
$0.51DZD 68.0
$1.06฿35.17
-51.89%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.81DZD 108
$0.72฿23.85
12.50%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.26DZD 34.96
$0.53฿17.49
-50.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.83DZD 378
$4.23฿141
-33.10%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.04DZD 939
$18.29฿608
-61.51%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30DZD 173
$1.63฿54.2
-20.25%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85DZD 247
$2.90฿96.5
-36.21%
🚌 Getting Around
El Bayadh
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.15DZD 20.06
$0.88฿29.20
-82.95%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$6.02DZD 803
$53.8฿1,788
-88.80%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.60DZD 79.7
$1.17฿38.99
-48.72%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.38DZD 51.1
$0.58฿19.22
-34.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.52DZD 603
$2.39฿79.3
89.12%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.34DZD 45.16
$1.45฿48.22
-76.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.1KDZD 4.9M
$21.0K฿698.6K
76.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.9KDZD 4.7M
$26.4K฿878.6K
31.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
El Bayadh
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$38.05DZD 5,074
$63.7฿2,116
-40.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.95DZD 1,327
$12.89฿429
-22.81%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.96DZD 1,461
$20.52฿682
-46.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
El Bayadh
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$21.48DZD 2,864
$39.02฿1,297
-44.95%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$3.92฿130
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.82DZD 642
$6.58฿219
-26.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
El Bayadh
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$89.6DZD 12.0K
$784฿26.1K
-88.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,789DZD 505.4K
$14.7K฿487.9K
-74.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
El Bayadh
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$30.61DZD 4,082
$55.1฿1,833
-44.46%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.19DZD 4,693
$24.74฿823
42.24%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$67.4DZD 8,989
$94.1฿3,130
-28.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$82.0DZD 10.9K
$74.0฿2,459
10.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
El Bayadh
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$178DZD 23.7K
$490฿16.3K
-63.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$101DZD 13.4K
$288฿9,582
-65.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$283DZD 37.8K
$891฿29.6K
-68.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$211DZD 28.2K
$521฿17.3K
-59.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,330DZD 177.4K
$1,974฿65.6K
-32.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,444฿48.0K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
El Bayadh
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$602฿20.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.3
5.57
-4.85%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for El Bayadh: September 14, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $178 in El Bayadh versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in El Bayadh versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $184 vs $241 – making El Bayadh 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
El Bayadh vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, El Bayadh or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 73% more than El Bayadh, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in El Bayadh and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $808 per month in El Bayadh and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, El Bayadh or Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in El Bayadh, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in El Bayadh and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $89.6 per month in El Bayadh and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in El Bayadh or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 31% 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.
Can you live on $1,000/month in El Bayadh or in Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in El Bayadh, where all-in costs run around $539, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In El Bayadh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, El Bayadh or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. El Bayadh costs $539 versus $932 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is El Bayadh compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to El Bayadh or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with El Bayadh. 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.