Cost of Living Comparison Between M'Sila and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between M'Sila and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $531 per month in M'Sila vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $836 per month in M'Sila vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,142 per month in M'Sila vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

M'Sila is about 38% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both M'Sila and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – M'Sila 60% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.91 DZD 253

$2.04 ฿68.2

-6.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.50 DZD 2,578

$18.71 ฿624

4.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.90 DZD 516

$7.86 ฿262

-50.38%

Cappuccino

$0.40 DZD 53.0

$2.03 ฿67.7

-80.30%

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

$0.56 DZD 73.5

$0.80 ฿26.64

-30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 DZD 27.96

$0.35 ฿11.68

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 DZD 264

$2.14 ฿71.5

-6.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 DZD 306

$3.67 ฿122

-37.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 DZD 109

$1.73 ฿57.6

-52.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.12 DZD 15.30

$1.57 ฿52.4

-92.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 DZD 189

$1.20 ฿39.99

19.17%

Eggs

$1.53 DZD 203

$1.97 ฿65.8

-22.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.15 DZD 417

$16.23 ฿541

-80.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.30 DZD 701

$3.06 ฿102

73.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.69 DZD 1,281

$10.80 ฿360

-10.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 DZD 405

$2.77 ฿92.3

10.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 DZD 382

$1.17 ฿38.94

147.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 DZD 229

$1.71 ฿57.0

1.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 DZD 76.9

$1.59 ฿53.2

-63.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 DZD 69.7

$1.39 ฿46.51

-61.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.31 DZD 41.03

$1.16 ฿38.56

-73.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.14 DZD 18.95

$0.66 ฿22.05

-78.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 DZD 36.53

$0.52 ฿17.31

-46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.79 DZD 369

$4.65 ฿155

-40.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.81 DZD 900

$17.78 ฿593

-61.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 DZD 173

$1.79 ฿59.6

-26.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 DZD 286

$3.34 ฿111

-35.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 DZD 33.14

$0.91 ฿30.27

-72.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.58 DZD 2,325

$18.64 ฿622

-5.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 DZD 86.6

$1.41 ฿47.04

-53.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 DZD 44.67

$1.34 ฿44.70

-74.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.53 DZD 731

$8.11 ฿270

-31.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.35 DZD 46.38

$1.23 ฿41.16

-71.54%

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

$35.9K DZD 4.7M

$21.4K ฿715.1K

67.32%

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

$33.9K DZD 4.5M

$21.8K ฿728.0K

55.14%

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

$24.32 DZD 3,215

$71.3 ฿2,379

-65.90%

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

$7.98 DZD 1,056

$14.01 ฿467

-43.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 DZD 2,359

$17.93 ฿598

-0.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.14 DZD 3,059

$40.82 ฿1,362

-43.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$6.01 DZD 795

$5.72 ฿191

5.07%

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

$93.4 DZD 12.4K

$308 ฿10.3K

-69.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,661 DZD 484.1K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-75.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.39 DZD 4,811

$55.8 ฿1,860

-34.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.93 DZD 6,073

$26.04 ฿869

76.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 DZD 10.0K

$84.8 ฿2,829

-10.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 DZD 10.1K

$71.0 ฿2,368

7.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$195 DZD 25.8K

$423 ฿14.1K

-53.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 DZD 15.2K

$242 ฿8,088

-52.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$274 DZD 36.3K

$797 ฿26.6K

-65.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 DZD 24.4K

$507 ฿16.9K

-63.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,113 DZD 147.1K

$1,918 ฿64.0K

-41.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$637 DZD 84.2K

$1,464 ฿48.8K

-56.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$248 DZD 32.8K

$595 ฿19.9K

-58.28%

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 M'Sila: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $195 in M'Sila versus $423 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 140% 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 M'Sila versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $159 vs $244 – making M'Sila 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

M'Sila vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 60% more than M'Sila, 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 $797 per month in M'Sila and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in M'Sila, 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 M'Sila and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 53% 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 $531 in M'Sila and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. M'Sila costs $531 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 M'Sila. 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.