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 $536 per month in M'Sila vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $845 per month in M'Sila vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,154 per month in M'Sila vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

M'Sila is about 37% 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 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.91 DZD 252

$1.95 ฿62.8

-2.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.57 DZD 2,590

$18.43 ฿594

6.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.83 DZD 507

$7.50 ฿241

-48.93%

Cappuccino

$0.41 DZD 53.9

$1.93 ฿62.3

-78.76%

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

$0.56 DZD 74.4

$0.78 ฿25.08

-28.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 DZD 21.57

$0.32 ฿10.42

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 DZD 265

$2.15 ฿69.2

-6.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 DZD 318

$3.71 ฿120

-35.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 DZD 111

$1.71 ฿55.2

-50.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.11 DZD 14.75

$1.56 ฿50.3

-92.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 DZD 189

$1.18 ฿38.06

21.19%

Eggs

$1.45 DZD 192

$1.98 ฿63.9

-26.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.10 DZD 411

$16.04 ฿517

-80.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.46 DZD 723

$3.17 ฿102

72.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 DZD 1,239

$10.94 ฿353

-14.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 DZD 414

$2.63 ฿84.7

19.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 DZD 369

$1.17 ฿37.61

138.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 DZD 226

$1.65 ฿53.0

3.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 DZD 77.1

$1.54 ฿49.51

-62.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 DZD 69.9

$1.38 ฿44.34

-61.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.29 DZD 38.25

$1.17 ฿37.54

-75.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.13 DZD 17.26

$0.66 ฿21.25

-80.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 DZD 39.92

$0.51 ฿16.55

-41.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.73 DZD 361

$4.52 ฿146

-39.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.08 DZD 937

$18.32 ฿590

-61.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 DZD 178

$1.80 ฿57.9

-25.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 DZD 279

$3.18 ฿102

-33.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 DZD 30.35

$0.90 ฿28.97

-74.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.27 DZD 2,285

$19.00 ฿612

-9.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 DZD 88.3

$1.41 ฿45.50

-52.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 DZD 47.72

$1.31 ฿42.15

-72.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 DZD 715

$8.09 ฿261

-33.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.35 DZD 46.79

$1.28 ฿41.08

-72.66%

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

$36.0K DZD 4.8M

$21.3K ฿686.1K

68.92%

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

$33.8K DZD 4.5M

$21.7K ฿699.3K

55.55%

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

$24.52 DZD 3,245

$69.2 ฿2,230

-64.57%

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

$7.69 DZD 1,017

$13.97 ฿450

-44.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.91 DZD 2,370

$17.95 ฿578

-0.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.35 DZD 3,090

$42.31 ฿1,363

-44.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 DZD 840

$5.92 ฿191

7.09%

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

$92.8 DZD 12.3K

$299 ฿9,640

-69.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,597 DZD 476.1K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-75.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.87 DZD 4,880

$56.2 ฿1,810

-34.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.33 DZD 6,131

$26.94 ฿868

71.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.0 DZD 9,924

$84.9 ฿2,735

-11.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.9 DZD 10.2K

$71.8 ฿2,314

7.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$194 DZD 25.7K

$435 ฿14.0K

-55.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 DZD 15.5K

$240 ฿7,727

-51.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 DZD 35.6K

$798 ฿25.7K

-66.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 DZD 23.8K

$498 ฿16.1K

-63.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$441 DZD 58.4K

$1,995 ฿64.3K

-77.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$654 DZD 86.6K

$1,532 ฿49.4K

-57.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$256 DZD 33.9K

$628 ฿20.2K

-59.25%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $194 in M'Sila versus $435 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 145% 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 in M'Sila versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $159 in M'Sila vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so M'Sila 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 58% 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 $803 per month in M'Sila and $1,267 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 $92.8 per month in M'Sila and $299 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 $536 in M'Sila and $845 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. M'Sila costs $536 versus $845 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.