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 $559 per month in Souk Ahras vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $858 per month in Souk Ahras vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,158 per month in Souk Ahras vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Souk Ahras is about 34% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Souk Ahras and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Souk Ahras 58% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.38 DZD 314

$2.04 ฿68.4

16.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.80 DZD 1,430

$18.71 ฿626

-42.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.96 DZD 525

$7.86 ฿263

-49.62%

Cappuccino

$0.67 DZD 88.5

$2.03 ฿67.9

-67.00%

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

$0.50 DZD 65.7

$0.80 ฿26.71

-37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 DZD 30.53

$0.35 ฿11.71

-34.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 DZD 262

$2.14 ฿71.7

-7.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 DZD 309

$3.67 ฿123

-36.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 DZD 117

$1.73 ฿57.8

-49.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.23 DZD 30.20

$1.57 ฿52.5

-85.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 DZD 164

$1.20 ฿40.10

3.33%

Eggs

$1.97 DZD 260

$1.97 ฿66.0

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.34 DZD 441

$16.23 ฿543

-79.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.79 DZD 369

$3.06 ฿102

-8.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.98 DZD 2,248

$10.80 ฿361

57.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 DZD 207

$2.77 ฿92.6

-43.68%

Banana (1kg)

$3.07 DZD 406

$1.17 ฿39.05

162.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 DZD 162

$1.71 ฿57.1

-28.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 DZD 156

$1.59 ฿53.3

-25.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.43 DZD 57.0

$1.39 ฿46.63

-69.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.41 DZD 54.7

$1.16 ฿38.67

-64.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.25 DZD 33.33

$0.66 ฿22.11

-62.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 DZD 38.69

$0.52 ฿17.35

-44.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.21 DZD 293

$4.65 ฿155

-52.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.88 DZD 778

$17.78 ฿595

-66.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 DZD 179

$1.79 ฿59.8

-24.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 DZD 289

$3.34 ฿112

-34.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 DZD 23.26

$0.91 ฿30.35

-80.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.55 DZD 2,323

$18.64 ฿624

-5.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 DZD 86.6

$1.41 ฿47.17

-53.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 DZD 59.2

$1.34 ฿44.82

-66.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 DZD 693

$8.11 ฿271

-35.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.31 DZD 40.97

$1.23 ฿41.27

-74.80%

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

$32.5K DZD 4.3M

$21.4K ฿717.0K

51.46%

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

$33.1K DZD 4.4M

$21.8K ฿730.0K

51.59%

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

$41.11 DZD 5,440

$71.3 ฿2,386

-42.37%

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

$9.53 DZD 1,261

$14.01 ฿469

-31.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.24 DZD 2,679

$17.93 ฿600

12.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.20 DZD 1,614

$40.82 ฿1,365

-70.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.90 DZD 516

$6.88 ฿230

-43.31%

Cinema Ticket

$5.50 DZD 727

$5.72 ฿191

-3.85%

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

$93.0 DZD 12.3K

$308 ฿10.3K

-69.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,590 DZD 475.2K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-75.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.12 DZD 4,118

$55.8 ฿1,865

-44.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.62 DZD 6,037

$26.04 ฿871

75.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 DZD 10.4K

$84.8 ฿2,837

-7.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 DZD 10.6K

$71.0 ฿2,375

13.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 DZD 26.2K

$423 ฿14.2K

-53.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 DZD 15.3K

$242 ฿8,110

-52.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$301 DZD 39.8K

$797 ฿26.7K

-62.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 DZD 24.2K

$507 ฿17.0K

-63.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,147 DZD 151.8K

$1,918 ฿64.2K

-40.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,113 DZD 147.3K

$1,464 ฿49.0K

-23.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$296 DZD 39.2K

$595 ฿19.9K

-50.26%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $198 in Souk Ahras 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 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $165 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 53% 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 $838 per month in Souk Ahras 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 Souk Ahras, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $93.0 per month in Souk Ahras 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 48% 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 $559 in Souk Ahras and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Souk Ahras costs $559 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 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.