Cost of Living Comparison Between Acapulco and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Acapulco and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $955 per month in Acapulco vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,460 per month in Acapulco vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,965 per month in Acapulco vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Acapulco costs about 10% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Acapulco and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Acapulco 29% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.78 MX$186

$1.94 ฿63.5

455.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.02 MX$554

$18.64 ฿609

71.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.34 MX$196

$7.82 ฿255

45.01%

Cappuccino

$3.76 MX$65.0

$1.95 ฿63.8

92.82%

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

$1.82 MX$31.49

$0.85 ฿27.77

114.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$26.69

$0.35 ฿11.58

340.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 MX$44.51

$2.13 ฿69.6

20.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$81.9

$3.73 ฿122

27.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 MX$26.91

$1.71 ฿56.0

-8.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 MX$55.1

$1.63 ฿53.2

95.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.82

$1.14 ฿37.15

35.96%

Eggs

$1.74 MX$30.15

$1.93 ฿63.1

-9.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.24 MX$108

$16.21 ฿530

-61.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 MX$141

$3.12 ฿102

160.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.78 MX$186

$10.90 ฿356

-1.10%

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 MX$78.4

$2.75 ฿90.0

64.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 MX$29.07

$1.21 ฿39.52

38.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 MX$55.2

$1.62 ฿53.0

96.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.12 MX$53.9

$1.59 ฿51.8

96.23%

Potato (1kg)

$3.44 MX$59.4

$1.40 ฿45.70

145.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 MX$49.68

$1.17 ฿38.17

145.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 MX$21.67

$0.66 ฿21.60

89.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 MX$13.42

$0.53 ฿17.22

47.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.82 MX$135

$4.69 ฿153

66.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.04 MX$122

$18.66 ฿609

-62.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.80 ฿58.8

-42.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 MX$45.37

$3.23 ฿106

-18.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MX$12.67

$0.90 ฿29.26

-18.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.27 MX$73.8

$1.41 ฿45.91

202.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 MX$26.68

$1.29 ฿42.12

19.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 MX$145

$7.84 ฿256

6.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.73

$1.27 ฿41.58

-0.79%

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

$21.0K MX$362.7K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-1.46%

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

$22.1K MX$382.6K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-0.42%

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

$38.89 MX$673

$69.1 ฿2,256

-43.69%

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

$22.51 MX$389

$14.08 ฿460

59.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.88 MX$361

$18.00 ฿588

16.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.76 MX$324

$41.06 ฿1,341

-54.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.24 MX$229

$6.96 ฿227

90.23%

Cinema Ticket

$3.62 MX$62.7

$5.92 ฿193

-38.85%

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

$156 MX$2,706

$299 ฿9,766

-47.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,565 MX$61.7K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-76.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 MX$1,105

$54.7 ฿1,787

16.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.96 MX$726

$26.77 ฿874

56.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MX$1,826

$85.0 ฿2,776

24.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 MX$1,390

$70.6 ฿2,306

13.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 MX$8,748

$428 ฿14.0K

18.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$243 MX$4,208

$237 ฿7,752

2.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 MX$15.9K

$801 ฿26.2K

14.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 MX$4,302

$515 ฿16.8K

-51.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$486 MX$8,412

$617 ฿20.2K

-21.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

130.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Acapulco: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $506 in Acapulco versus $428 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 27% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Acapulco versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $246 – making Chiang Mai 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

Acapulco vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Acapulco costs about 10% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,433 per month in Acapulco and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $955 in Acapulco and $866 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $156 per month in Acapulco and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Acapulco at $955. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Acapulco it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $955 in Acapulco. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Acapulco makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.