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 $524 per month in Souk Ahras vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $819 per month in Souk Ahras vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,114 per month in Souk Ahras vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Souk Ahras is about 45% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Souk Ahras and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Souk Ahras 62% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.37 DZD 314

$2.10 ฿69.3

12.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.90 DZD 1,445

$19.84 ฿656

-45.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 DZD 549

$5.79 ฿191

-28.50%

Cappuccino

$0.66 DZD 88.1

$1.83 ฿60.4

-63.93%

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

$0.54 DZD 71.4

$0.78 ฿25.61

-30.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 DZD 36.57

$0.31 ฿10.37

-9.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 DZD 192

$2.34 ฿77.2

-38.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 DZD 294

$3.70 ฿122

-40.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 DZD 109

$2.03 ฿67.1

-59.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.21 DZD 27.79

$1.60 ฿52.7

-86.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 DZD 167

$1.42 ฿46.75

-11.27%

Eggs

$1.36 DZD 180

$2.18 ฿71.9

-37.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.46 DZD 459

$15.91 ฿526

-78.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.84 DZD 377

$3.07 ฿102

-7.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.73 DZD 2,219

$9.87 ฿326

69.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 DZD 198

$2.63 ฿86.8

-43.35%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 DZD 400

$1.10 ฿36.19

174.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 DZD 154

$1.63 ฿53.8

-28.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.94 DZD 124

$1.53 ฿50.6

-38.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.44 DZD 57.9

$1.24 ฿41.13

-64.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 DZD 55.5

$1.13 ฿37.37

-62.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.25 DZD 33.22

$0.74 ฿24.38

-66.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 DZD 38.91

$0.50 ฿16.48

-42.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.27 DZD 300

$4.28 ฿141

-46.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.05 DZD 934

$17.97 ฿594

-60.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 DZD 176

$1.70 ฿56.1

-22.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 DZD 258

$2.90 ฿95.7

-32.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 DZD 24.93

$0.94 ฿31.13

-79.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.31 DZD 837

$55.3 ฿1,827

-88.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.59 DZD 78.8

$1.23 ฿40.76

-52.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 DZD 67.0

$0.53 ฿17.66

-5.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.20 DZD 690

$2.40 ฿79.3

116.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 DZD 44.06

$1.44 ฿47.55

-77.08%

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

$37.0K DZD 4.9M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

74.46%

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

$35.7K DZD 4.7M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

30.64%

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

$38.43 DZD 5,097

$64.9 ฿2,145

-40.81%

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

$9.36 DZD 1,241

$13.35 ฿441

-29.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.96 DZD 2,647

$20.83 ฿688

-4.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.07 DZD 1,600

$40.42 ฿1,336

-70.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.11 DZD 545

$3.95 ฿131

4.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.56 DZD 604

$6.71 ฿222

-32.04%

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

$94.0 DZD 12.5K

$787 ฿26.0K

-88.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,402 DZD 451.2K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-77.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.71 DZD 4,073

$56.2 ฿1,858

-45.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 DZD 4,724

$24.95 ฿824

42.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 DZD 10.8K

$92.7 ฿3,063

-12.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 DZD 10.6K

$75.1 ฿2,482

5.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$157 DZD 20.8K

$484 ฿16.0K

-67.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$106 DZD 14.1K

$287 ฿9,491

-62.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$297 DZD 39.4K

$910 ฿30.1K

-67.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 DZD 23.9K

$531 ฿17.5K

-66.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,294 DZD 171.6K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

-34.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$275 DZD 36.4K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

-81.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$302 DZD 40.0K

$605 ฿20.0K

-50.16%

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 Souk Ahras: September 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $157 in Souk Ahras versus $484 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 101% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $162 vs $242 – 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 81% 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 $786 per month in Souk Ahras and $1,426 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 $94.0 per month in Souk Ahras and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% 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.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Souk Ahras, where all-in costs run around $524, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Souk Ahras it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Souk Ahras costs $524 versus $950 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.