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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,182 per month in Ajijic vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,939 per month in Ajijic vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,696 per month in Ajijic vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ajijic costs about 36% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ajijic and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ajijic 12% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.91 MX$137

$1.94 ฿63.5

307.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.68 MX$600

$18.64 ฿609

86.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 MX$118

$7.82 ฿255

-13.04%

Cappuccino

$3.35 MX$58.0

$1.95 ฿63.8

71.79%

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

$1.07 MX$18.53

$0.85 ฿27.77

25.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 MX$14.66

$0.35 ฿11.58

142.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 MX$31.55

$2.13 ฿69.6

-14.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 MX$54.5

$3.73 ฿122

-15.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.44

$1.71 ฿56.0

-20.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 MX$39.33

$1.63 ฿53.2

39.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.08 MX$18.69

$1.14 ฿37.15

-5.26%

Eggs

$2.00 MX$34.58

$1.93 ฿63.1

3.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$16.21 ฿530

-50.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.23 MX$125

$3.12 ฿102

131.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.80 MX$118

$10.90 ฿356

-37.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.31

$2.75 ฿90.0

-21.45%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 MX$15.41

$1.21 ฿39.52

-26.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 MX$15.77

$1.62 ฿53.0

-43.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 MX$24.44

$1.59 ฿51.8

-11.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$1.40 ฿45.70

-1.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 MX$17.98

$1.17 ฿38.17

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 MX$14.99

$0.66 ฿21.60

31.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.28

$0.53 ฿17.22

56.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 MX$70.4

$4.69 ฿153

-13.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 MX$161

$18.66 ฿609

-50.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.24

$1.80 ฿58.8

-22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.05

$3.23 ฿106

-47.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 MX$10.56

$0.90 ฿29.26

-32.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 MX$18.85

$1.41 ฿45.91

-22.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 MX$27.38

$1.29 ฿42.12

22.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 MX$55.1

$7.84 ฿256

-59.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$1.27 ฿41.58

3.15%

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

$18.8K MX$324.7K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-11.77%

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

$18.9K MX$326.6K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-14.99%

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

$44.74 MX$774

$69.1 ฿2,256

-35.23%

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

$16.21 MX$280

$14.08 ฿460

15.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.54 MX$442

$18.00 ฿588

41.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.01 MX$415

$41.06 ฿1,341

-41.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.24 MX$90.7

$6.96 ฿227

-24.71%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 MX$74.2

$5.92 ฿193

-27.53%

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

$179 MX$3,095

$299 ฿9,766

-40.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,654 MX$45.9K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-82.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.62 MX$720

$54.7 ฿1,787

-23.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.17 MX$280

$26.77 ฿874

-39.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.2 MX$1,128

$85.0 ฿2,776

-23.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.1 MX$935

$70.6 ฿2,306

-23.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$812 MX$14.0K

$428 ฿14.0K

89.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 MX$10.9K

$237 ฿7,752

166.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 MX$27.6K

$801 ฿26.2K

99.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 MX$24.2K

$515 ฿16.8K

171.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,248 MX$56.2K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

64.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,742 MX$30.1K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

18.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$583 MX$10.1K

$617 ฿20.2K

-5.59%

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 Ajijic: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $812 in Ajijic 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 6% 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 $35.00 in Ajijic versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $205 in Ajijic vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Ajijic wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Yes – Ajijic is pricier by about 36%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,773 per month in Ajijic 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 $1,182 in Ajijic and $866 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $179 per month in Ajijic 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 Ajijic at $1,182. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ajijic it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Ajijic makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.