Cost of Living Comparison Between Souk Ahras and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Souk Ahras and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $547 per month in Souk Ahras vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $837 per month in Souk Ahras vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,126 per month in Souk Ahras vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Souk Ahras is about 37% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Souk Ahras and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Souk Ahras 59% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.46 DZD 326

$1.98 ฿64.3

24.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.96 DZD 1,453

$18.80 ฿612

-41.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.95 DZD 523

$7.75 ฿252

-49.03%

Cappuccino

$0.65 DZD 86.2

$1.92 ฿62.5

-66.15%

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

$0.50 DZD 65.9

$0.79 ฿25.79

-36.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 DZD 30.57

$0.36 ฿11.62

-36.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 DZD 255

$2.21 ฿72.1

-13.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 DZD 320

$3.66 ฿119

-34.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 DZD 107

$1.65 ฿53.8

-50.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 DZD 29.86

$1.63 ฿53.2

-85.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 DZD 166

$1.19 ฿38.86

5.04%

Eggs

$1.94 DZD 258

$2.00 ฿65.1

-3.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.46 DZD 458

$15.98 ฿520

-78.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.85 DZD 378

$3.03 ฿98.5

-5.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.78 DZD 2,223

$10.86 ฿354

54.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 DZD 206

$2.76 ฿90.0

-43.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.95 DZD 391

$1.18 ฿38.42

150.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 DZD 163

$1.64 ฿53.5

-25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 DZD 156

$1.52 ฿49.51

-22.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.44 DZD 57.9

$1.38 ฿45.10

-68.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 DZD 50.4

$1.19 ฿38.84

-68.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.23 DZD 30.36

$0.70 ฿22.86

-67.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 DZD 38.96

$0.56 ฿18.13

-48.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 DZD 303

$4.58 ฿149

-50.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.18 DZD 819

$16.56 ฿539

-62.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 DZD 171

$1.83 ฿59.5

-29.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 DZD 288

$3.20 ฿104

-32.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 DZD 24.09

$0.88 ฿28.56

-79.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.64 DZD 2,338

$18.72 ฿610

-5.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 DZD 87.2

$1.36 ฿44.16

-51.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 DZD 63.5

$1.34 ฿43.65

-64.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.34 DZD 708

$7.84 ฿256

-31.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 DZD 44.05

$1.23 ฿39.92

-73.17%

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

$32.9K DZD 4.4M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

52.22%

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

$34.3K DZD 4.5M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

52.11%

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

$40.58 DZD 5,379

$70.5 ฿2,298

-42.47%

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

$9.30 DZD 1,233

$13.68 ฿445

-32.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.01 DZD 2,652

$17.45 ฿568

14.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.05 DZD 1,598

$41.33 ฿1,346

-70.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.07 DZD 540

$6.96 ฿227

-41.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.42 DZD 719

$5.77 ฿188

-6.07%

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

$91.5 DZD 12.1K

$307 ฿10.0K

-70.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,633 DZD 481.5K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-75.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.65 DZD 4,062

$55.8 ฿1,817

-45.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.03 DZD 6,101

$26.21 ฿854

75.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 DZD 10.5K

$85.8 ฿2,793

-7.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 DZD 10.4K

$72.2 ฿2,353

9.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 DZD 26.1K

$430 ฿14.0K

-54.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$114 DZD 15.2K

$239 ฿7,774

-52.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$305 DZD 40.4K

$817 ฿26.6K

-62.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 DZD 24.1K

$511 ฿16.6K

-64.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,133 DZD 150.1K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-42.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,151 DZD 152.5K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-22.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$297 DZD 39.4K

$619 ฿20.2K

-52.00%

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 Souk Ahras: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $197 in Souk Ahras versus $430 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 108% 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 $11.00 in Souk Ahras versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $164 vs $241 – making Souk Ahras 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

Souk Ahras vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 59% more than Souk Ahras, 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 $821 per month in Souk Ahras and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $91.5 per month in Souk Ahras and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% 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 $547 in Souk Ahras and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Souk Ahras costs $547 versus $869 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 Souk Ahras. 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.