🙂A single person spends $563 per month in El Oued vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $896 per month in El Oued vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,228 per month in El Oued vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂El Oued is about 40% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both El Oued and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – El Oued59% lower, Chiang Mai32% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
El Oued
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.94DZD 393
$2.08฿69.5
41.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$20.26DZD 2,707
$19.61฿655
3.31%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.59DZD 614
$5.67฿189
-19.05%
Cappuccino
$1.26DZD 169
$1.81฿60.3
-30.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.16DZD 155
$0.77฿25.65
50.65%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53DZD 70.9
$0.35฿11.53
51.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.49DZD 199
$2.21฿73.9
-32.58%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12DZD 283
$3.79฿127
-44.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
El Oued
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.90DZD 120
$2.05฿68.4
-56.10%
White Bread(500g)
$0.13DZD 17.24
$1.51฿50.6
-91.39%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.11DZD 149
$1.40฿46.69
-20.71%
Eggs
$1.39DZD 186
$2.26฿75.4
-38.50%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.12DZD 1,085
$16.19฿540
-49.85%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.04DZD 539
$2.90฿96.7
39.31%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.86DZD 1,985
$9.42฿314
57.75%
Apples(1kg)
$2.07DZD 277
$2.68฿89.4
-22.76%
Banana(1kg)
$2.82DZD 376
$1.09฿36.37
158.72%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.11DZD 148
$1.62฿54.0
-31.48%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.00DZD 134
$1.46฿48.74
-31.51%
Potato(1kg)
$0.64DZD 85.5
$1.28฿42.65
-50.00%
Onion(1kg)
$0.47DZD 62.6
$1.06฿35.31
-55.66%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.70DZD 93.4
$0.72฿23.94
-2.78%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.26DZD 34.42
$0.53฿17.56
-50.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.73DZD 365
$4.23฿141
-35.46%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.57DZD 1,012
$18.29฿611
-58.61%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29DZD 172
$1.63฿54.4
-20.86%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02DZD 270
$2.90฿96.8
-30.34%
🚌 Getting Around
El Oued
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.18DZD 23.51
$0.88฿29.32
-79.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$5.57DZD 744
$53.8฿1,795
-89.64%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.59DZD 78.9
$1.17฿39.14
-49.57%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.38DZD 50.6
$0.58฿19.30
-34.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$4.90DZD 655
$2.39฿79.6
105.02%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.37DZD 48.98
$1.45฿48.41
-74.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.6KDZD 4.9M
$21.0K฿701.4K
74.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.8KDZD 4.7M
$26.4K฿882.0K
31.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
El Oued
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$38.84DZD 5,189
$63.7฿2,125
-38.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.03DZD 1,206
$12.89฿430
-29.95%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.30DZD 1,644
$20.52฿685
-40.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
El Oued
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$20.76DZD 2,773
$39.02฿1,302
-46.80%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$3.92฿131
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.73DZD 631
$6.58฿220
-28.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
El Oued
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$103DZD 13.8K
$784฿26.2K
-86.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,078DZD 411.2K
$14.7K฿489.8K
-79.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
El Oued
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$33.67DZD 4,498
$55.1฿1,840
-38.90%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.20DZD 4,836
$24.74฿826
46.32%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$71.0DZD 9,479
$94.1฿3,142
-24.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.6DZD 9,967
$74.0฿2,469
0.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
El Oued
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$161DZD 21.6K
$490฿16.4K
-67.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$109DZD 14.5K
$288฿9,620
-62.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$280DZD 37.5K
$891฿29.8K
-68.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$206DZD 27.5K
$521฿17.4K
-60.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,316DZD 175.7K
$1,974฿65.9K
-33.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$1,444฿48.2K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
El Oued
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$265DZD 35.4K
$602฿20.1K
-55.95%
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 Oued: September 12, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $161 in El Oued 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.
💰Salaries run about 127% 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 $20.00 in El Oued versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $181 vs $241 – 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
Which city is more expensive, El Oued or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 65% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in El Oued and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $845 per month in El Oued 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 Oued or Chiang Mai?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in El Oued and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $103 per month in El Oued 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 Oued or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 33% 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 $2,000/month in El Oued or in Chiang Mai?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in El Oued, where all-in costs run around $563, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In El Oued 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 Oued or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. El Oued costs $563 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 Oued 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 Oued or to Chiang Mai?
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.