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: $1,016 in Aguascalientes versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,537 in Aguascalientes versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,058 in Aguascalientes versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Aguascalientes 24% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 MX$143

$1.96 ฿65.7

317.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.16 MX$599

$18.35 ฿616

86.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 MX$121

$7.48 ฿251

-7.75%

Cappuccino

$3.36 MX$58.8

$2.02 ฿67.7

66.34%

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

$1.11 MX$19.54

$0.85 ฿28.45

30.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.35

$0.36 ฿11.94

127.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 MX$32.07

$2.14 ฿71.7

-14.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 MX$55.9

$3.59 ฿121

-11.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.61

$1.65 ฿55.4

-18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$37.64

$1.57 ฿52.6

36.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 MX$26.66

$1.19 ฿39.95

27.73%

Eggs

$1.95 MX$34.18

$1.94 ฿65.0

0.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.23 MX$144

$16.19 ฿544

-49.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.43 MX$130

$2.99 ฿100

148.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.65 MX$169

$10.94 ฿367

-11.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.69

$2.71 ฿91.0

-16.61%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 MX$16.12

$1.17 ฿39.18

-21.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.89 MX$15.55

$1.69 ฿56.6

-47.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 MX$25.46

$1.60 ฿53.9

-9.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 MX$24.08

$1.38 ฿46.45

-0.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 MX$16.56

$1.20 ฿40.38

-21.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 MX$16.23

$0.67 ฿22.46

38.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.30

$0.56 ฿18.70

46.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.9

$4.64 ฿156

-9.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.37 MX$164

$17.62 ฿591

-46.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 MX$26.64

$1.86 ฿62.4

-18.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 MX$47.39

$3.30 ฿111

-18.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.69

$0.88 ฿29.63

-37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.62 MX$397

$19.34 ฿649

16.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 MX$18.04

$1.36 ฿45.82

-24.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 MX$16.49

$1.34 ฿44.90

-29.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$57.0

$8.21 ฿276

-60.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 MX$21.79

$1.22 ฿41.11

1.64%

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

$21.6K MX$378.4K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

1.12%

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

$23.4K MX$410.7K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

4.01%

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

$44.95 MX$788

$70.7 ฿2,372

-36.39%

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

$20.27 MX$355

$14.04 ฿471

44.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.48 MX$411

$17.49 ฿587

34.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.07 MX$439

$42.15 ฿1,415

-40.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.91 MX$384

$6.88 ฿231

218.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.12 MX$72.3

$5.92 ฿199

-30.41%

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

$184 MX$3,227

$309 ฿10.4K

-40.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,607 MX$45.7K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-82.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 MX$930

$55.8 ฿1,872

-4.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.73 MX$626

$26.11 ฿877

36.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.3 MX$1,477

$83.0 ฿2,787

1.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.9 MX$962

$70.5 ฿2,365

-22.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,840

$432 ฿14.5K

-9.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 MX$6,620

$239 ฿8,020

58.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 MX$10.3K

$822 ฿27.6K

-28.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 MX$10.3K

$512 ฿17.2K

14.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,199 MX$21.0K

$1,915 ฿64.3K

-37.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,227 MX$21.5K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-16.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$907 MX$15.9K

$579 ฿19.4K

56.57%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $390 in Aguascalientes and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aguascalientes pays 57% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $219 vs $243, 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.

Average pay runs 57% higher in Aguascalientes, 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: $390 in Aguascalientes versus $432 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 17% less than in Aguascalientes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $184 in Aguascalientes versus $309 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.