Cost of Living Comparison Between El Oued and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between El Oued and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $629 per month in El Oued vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $980 per month in El Oued vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,330 per month in El Oued vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

El Oued is about 26% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both El Oued and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – El Oued 53% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 DZD 378

$1.96 ฿63.6

45.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.19 DZD 2,544

$18.81 ฿611

2.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.44 DZD 589

$7.92 ฿258

-43.94%

Cappuccino

$1.25 DZD 166

$1.91 ฿62.2

-34.55%

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

$0.60 DZD 80.0

$0.84 ฿27.25

-28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 DZD 30.31

$0.35 ฿11.44

-34.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 DZD 260

$2.21 ฿71.7

-11.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 DZD 311

$3.80 ฿124

-38.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 DZD 131

$1.64 ฿53.2

-39.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.15 DZD 20.14

$1.62 ฿52.8

-90.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 DZD 215

$1.18 ฿38.40

37.29%

Eggs

$1.85 DZD 246

$2.01 ฿65.4

-7.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.15 DZD 1,214

$15.89 ฿517

-42.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.43 DZD 720

$3.01 ฿98.0

80.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.73 DZD 2,219

$10.77 ฿350

55.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 DZD 425

$2.61 ฿85.0

22.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 DZD 387

$1.22 ฿39.65

139.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 DZD 225

$1.70 ฿55.4

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 DZD 104

$1.58 ฿51.2

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 DZD 72.7

$1.32 ฿42.89

-58.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 DZD 65.8

$1.17 ฿38.01

-57.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 DZD 84.9

$0.67 ฿21.85

-4.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 DZD 36.62

$0.56 ฿18.21

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.68 DZD 355

$4.53 ฿147

-40.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 DZD 825

$18.20 ฿592

-65.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 DZD 177

$1.83 ฿59.6

-26.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 DZD 276

$3.23 ฿105

-35.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 DZD 30.45

$0.89 ฿28.83

-74.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.70 DZD 2,347

$19.38 ฿630

-8.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 DZD 94.7

$1.35 ฿43.95

-47.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 DZD 48.52

$1.35 ฿43.79

-72.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 DZD 682

$8.25 ฿268

-37.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.37 DZD 48.41

$1.27 ฿41.40

-70.87%

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

$32.9K DZD 4.4M

$21.2K ฿687.8K

55.49%

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

$34.2K DZD 4.5M

$22.5K ฿731.0K

51.95%

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

$41.37 DZD 5,487

$70.2 ฿2,281

-41.03%

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

$9.29 DZD 1,232

$13.77 ฿448

-32.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.90 DZD 2,241

$17.60 ฿572

-3.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.67 DZD 3,139

$41.57 ฿1,352

-43.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 DZD 735

$5.78 ฿188

-4.15%

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

$93.4 DZD 12.4K

$306 ฿9,953

-69.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,556 DZD 471.6K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-76.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.57 DZD 4,850

$54.4 ฿1,768

-32.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.28 DZD 6,006

$26.14 ฿850

73.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 DZD 9,878

$84.5 ฿2,748

-11.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.4 DZD 10.4K

$69.4 ฿2,257

12.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$195 DZD 25.8K

$424 ฿13.8K

-54.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 DZD 15.5K

$238 ฿7,743

-50.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 DZD 35.6K

$825 ฿26.8K

-67.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 DZD 23.9K

$515 ฿16.7K

-64.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$224 DZD 29.8K

$2,049 ฿66.6K

-89.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$247 DZD 32.8K

$635 ฿20.6K

-61.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.42

8.40%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for El Oued: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $195 in El Oued 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.

Salaries run about 157% 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 El Oued versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $243 – making El Oued 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 Oued vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 35% more than El Oued, 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 $944 per month in El Oued and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in El Oued, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $93.4 per month in El Oued and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $629 in El Oued and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. El Oued costs $629 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 El Oued. 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.