🙂A single person spends $601 per month in El Bayadh vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $960 per month in El Bayadh vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,320 per month in El Bayadh vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂El Bayadh is about 29% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both El Bayadh and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – El Bayadh55% lower, Chiang Mai36% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
El Bayadh
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.17DZD 421
$1.96฿63.6
61.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.26DZD 3,085
$18.81฿611
23.66%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.88DZD 515
$7.92฿258
-51.01%
Cappuccino
$0.74DZD 98.1
$1.91฿62.2
-61.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62DZD 81.6
$0.84฿27.25
-26.19%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.23DZD 30.60
$0.35฿11.44
-34.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.90DZD 252
$2.21฿71.7
-14.03%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42DZD 321
$3.80฿124
-36.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
El Bayadh
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.00DZD 132
$1.64฿53.2
-39.02%
White Bread(500g)
$0.15DZD 20.30
$1.62฿52.8
-90.74%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55DZD 206
$1.18฿38.40
31.36%
Eggs
$1.86DZD 246
$2.01฿65.4
-7.46%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.13DZD 1,211
$15.89฿517
-42.54%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.25DZD 697
$3.01฿98.0
74.42%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.45DZD 2,182
$10.77฿350
52.74%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23DZD 428
$2.61฿85.0
23.75%
Banana(1kg)
$2.87DZD 381
$1.22฿39.65
135.25%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.76DZD 233
$1.70฿55.4
3.53%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.79DZD 105
$1.58฿51.2
-50.00%
Potato(1kg)
$0.55DZD 73.4
$1.32฿42.89
-58.33%
Onion(1kg)
$0.50DZD 66.8
$1.17฿38.01
-57.26%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.65DZD 86.2
$0.67฿21.85
-2.99%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.30DZD 39.82
$0.56฿18.21
-46.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.70DZD 358
$4.53฿147
-40.40%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.15DZD 948
$18.20฿592
-60.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29DZD 170
$1.83฿59.6
-29.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17DZD 288
$3.23฿105
-32.82%
🚌 Getting Around
El Bayadh
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.23DZD 30.34
$0.89฿28.83
-74.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$17.70DZD 2,348
$19.38฿630
-8.67%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.67DZD 88.8
$1.35฿43.95
-50.37%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.36DZD 48.04
$1.35฿43.79
-73.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.36DZD 711
$8.25฿268
-35.03%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.36DZD 48.29
$1.27฿41.40
-71.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.8KDZD 4.3M
$21.2K฿687.8K
54.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.6KDZD 4.5M
$22.5K฿731.0K
49.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
El Bayadh
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$40.23DZD 5,335
$70.2฿2,281
-42.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.62DZD 1,276
$13.77฿448
-30.14%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.20DZD 2,281
$17.60฿572
-2.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
El Bayadh
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$23.56DZD 3,124
$41.57฿1,352
-43.32%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.60฿215
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.42DZD 719
$5.78฿188
-6.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
El Bayadh
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$92.6DZD 12.3K
$306฿9,953
-69.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,644DZD 483.3K
$14.8K฿482.0K
-75.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
El Bayadh
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$37.37DZD 4,956
$54.4฿1,768
-31.27%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.09DZD 5,980
$26.14฿850
72.49%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.1DZD 10.1K
$84.5฿2,748
-9.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.6DZD 10.0K
$69.4฿2,257
8.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
El Bayadh
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$195DZD 25.9K
$424฿13.8K
-53.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$117DZD 15.5K
$238฿7,743
-50.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$269DZD 35.7K
$825฿26.8K
-67.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$182DZD 24.2K
$515฿16.7K
-64.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$2,049฿66.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,523฿49.5K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
El Bayadh
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$635฿20.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.42
5
8.40%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for El Bayadh: April 28, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $195 in El Bayadh versus $424 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 $23.00 in El Bayadh versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in El Bayadh vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so El Bayadh wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
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 42% 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 vs Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $902 per month in El Bayadh and $1,278 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 Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $92.6 per month in El Bayadh and $306 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 Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 18% 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 $800/month in El Bayadh or Chiang Mai?
$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $601 in El Bayadh and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for digital nomads, El Bayadh or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. El Bayadh costs $601 versus $852 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 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.