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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,025 in Aguascalientes versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,543 in Aguascalientes versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,061 in Aguascalientes versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Aguascalientes is roughly 18% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Aguascalientes 23% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.12 MX$140

$1.94 ฿63.5

318.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.46 MX$596

$18.64 ฿609

84.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.07 MX$122

$7.82 ฿255

-9.59%

Cappuccino

$3.20 MX$55.4

$1.95 ฿63.8

64.10%

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

$1.08 MX$18.72

$0.85 ฿27.77

27.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 MX$13.84

$0.35 ฿11.58

128.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 MX$31.19

$2.13 ฿69.6

-15.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 MX$54.5

$3.73 ฿122

-15.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.28

$1.71 ฿56.0

-21.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 MX$38.86

$1.63 ฿53.2

38.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 MX$27.28

$1.14 ฿37.15

38.60%

Eggs

$1.96 MX$33.85

$1.93 ฿63.1

1.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 MX$138

$16.21 ฿530

-50.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.16 MX$124

$3.12 ฿102

129.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.66 MX$167

$10.90 ฿356

-11.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$2.75 ฿90.0

-17.82%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 MX$16.72

$1.21 ฿39.52

-19.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 MX$14.36

$1.62 ฿53.0

-48.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 MX$24.53

$1.59 ฿51.8

-10.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 MX$24.27

$1.40 ฿45.70

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 MX$16.73

$1.17 ฿38.17

-17.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MX$15.50

$0.66 ฿21.60

36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.39

$0.53 ฿17.22

56.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 MX$71.6

$4.69 ฿153

-11.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.98 MX$155

$18.66 ฿609

-51.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 MX$25.98

$1.80 ฿58.8

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 MX$46.08

$3.23 ฿106

-17.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.59

$0.90 ฿29.26

-38.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.01 MX$381

$19.21 ฿628

14.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 MX$18.57

$1.41 ฿45.91

-24.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 MX$16.15

$1.29 ฿42.12

-27.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.0

$7.84 ฿256

-58.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 MX$21.51

$1.27 ฿41.58

-2.36%

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

$22.2K MX$383.5K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

4.21%

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

$23.4K MX$405.2K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

5.47%

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

$44.40 MX$768

$69.1 ฿2,256

-35.72%

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

$20.16 MX$349

$14.08 ฿460

43.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.39 MX$405

$18.00 ฿588

29.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.83 MX$447

$41.06 ฿1,341

-37.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.83 MX$378

$6.96 ฿227

213.65%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 MX$71.8

$5.92 ฿193

-29.90%

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

$178 MX$3,075

$299 ฿9,766

-40.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,589 MX$44.8K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-82.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 MX$884

$54.7 ฿1,787

-6.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.96 MX$605

$26.77 ฿874

30.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.2 MX$1,474

$85.0 ฿2,776

0.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.7 MX$930

$70.6 ฿2,306

-23.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 MX$6,663

$428 ฿14.0K

-10.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 MX$6,645

$237 ฿7,752

61.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 MX$9,868

$801 ฿26.2K

-28.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$595 MX$10.3K

$515 ฿16.8K

15.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,228 MX$21.2K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-37.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,241 MX$21.5K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-15.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$920 MX$15.9K

$617 ฿20.2K

48.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.24

124.80%

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

Last update for Aguascalientes: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $385 in Aguascalientes and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aguascalientes pays 49% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $34.00 in Aguascalientes vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $217 vs $246, with Aguascalientes cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Aguascalientes pays 49% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $385 in Aguascalientes versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 15% less than in Aguascalientes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $178 in Aguascalientes versus $299 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Chiang Mai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Aguascalientes, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Aguascalientes and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Aguascalientes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.