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 $549 per month in Souk Ahras vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $837 per month in Souk Ahras vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,126 per month in Souk Ahras vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Souk Ahras is about 35% 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 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.46 DZD 325

$1.95 ฿62.8

26.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.63 DZD 1,407

$18.43 ฿594

-42.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.80 DZD 503

$7.50 ฿241

-49.33%

Cappuccino

$0.67 DZD 88.5

$1.93 ฿62.3

-65.28%

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

$0.51 DZD 67.3

$0.78 ฿25.08

-34.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 DZD 27.78

$0.32 ฿10.42

-34.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 DZD 253

$2.15 ฿69.2

-11.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 DZD 318

$3.71 ฿120

-35.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 DZD 115

$1.71 ฿55.2

-49.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.20 DZD 26.33

$1.56 ฿50.3

-87.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 DZD 164

$1.18 ฿38.06

5.08%

Eggs

$1.89 DZD 250

$1.98 ฿63.9

-4.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.42 DZD 452

$16.04 ฿517

-78.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.80 DZD 371

$3.17 ฿102

-11.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.52 DZD 2,186

$10.94 ฿353

51.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.54 DZD 204

$2.63 ฿84.7

-41.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 DZD 394

$1.17 ฿37.61

154.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 DZD 160

$1.65 ฿53.0

-26.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 DZD 162

$1.54 ฿49.51

-20.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 DZD 54.0

$1.38 ฿44.34

-70.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.39 DZD 51.0

$1.17 ฿37.54

-66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.23 DZD 30.40

$0.66 ฿21.25

-65.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 DZD 38.86

$0.51 ฿16.55

-43.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 DZD 288

$4.52 ฿146

-51.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 DZD 1,027

$18.32 ฿590

-57.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 DZD 173

$1.80 ฿57.9

-27.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 DZD 283

$3.18 ฿102

-32.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 DZD 29.14

$0.90 ฿28.97

-75.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.09 DZD 2,262

$19.00 ฿612

-10.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 DZD 91.8

$1.41 ฿45.50

-51.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 DZD 58.9

$1.31 ฿42.15

-66.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.29 DZD 699

$8.09 ฿261

-34.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 DZD 43.94

$1.28 ฿41.08

-74.22%

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

$32.5K DZD 4.3M

$21.3K ฿686.1K

52.76%

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

$33.8K DZD 4.5M

$21.7K ฿699.3K

55.77%

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

$40.55 DZD 5,367

$69.2 ฿2,230

-41.40%

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

$9.58 DZD 1,268

$13.97 ฿450

-31.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.65 DZD 2,601

$17.95 ฿578

9.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.11 DZD 1,603

$42.31 ฿1,363

-71.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 DZD 519

$6.66 ฿214

-41.14%

Cinema Ticket

$5.45 DZD 721

$5.92 ฿191

-7.94%

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

$93.2 DZD 12.3K

$299 ฿9,640

-68.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,576 DZD 473.2K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-75.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.46 DZD 4,031

$56.2 ฿1,810

-45.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.74 DZD 5,921

$26.94 ฿868

66.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.8 DZD 10.7K

$84.9 ฿2,735

-4.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 DZD 10.4K

$71.8 ฿2,314

9.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$194 DZD 25.7K

$435 ฿14.0K

-55.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 DZD 15.2K

$240 ฿7,727

-52.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$305 DZD 40.3K

$798 ฿25.7K

-61.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 DZD 23.7K

$498 ฿16.1K

-64.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$309 DZD 40.9K

$1,995 ฿64.3K

-84.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$283 DZD 37.4K

$1,532 ฿49.4K

-81.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$307 DZD 40.6K

$628 ฿20.2K

-51.13%

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: April 22, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $194 in Souk Ahras 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 105% 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 in Souk Ahras versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $166 vs $244 – 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 54% 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 $823 per month in Souk Ahras 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 Souk Ahras, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $93.2 per month in Souk Ahras 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 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 $549 in Souk Ahras and $845 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Souk Ahras costs $549 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 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.