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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,365 per month in Cancun vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,243 per month in Cancun vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,121 per month in Cancun vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Cancun costs about 58% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Cancun sits 2% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.37 MX$231

$1.94 ฿63.5

589.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 MX$928

$18.64 ฿609

187.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 MX$175

$7.82 ฿255

29.54%

Cappuccino

$3.44 MX$59.5

$1.95 ฿63.8

76.41%

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

$1.58 MX$27.37

$0.85 ฿27.77

85.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.58

$0.35 ฿11.58

157.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$52.6

$2.13 ฿69.6

42.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 MX$77.4

$3.73 ฿122

20.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.78

$1.71 ฿56.0

-16.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 MX$43.94

$1.63 ฿53.2

55.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 MX$33.40

$1.14 ฿37.15

69.30%

Eggs

$2.63 MX$45.41

$1.93 ฿63.1

36.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.32 MX$196

$16.21 ฿530

-30.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.69 MX$150

$3.12 ฿102

178.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.72 MX$185

$10.90 ฿356

-1.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$2.75 ฿90.0

18.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.13

$1.21 ฿39.52

29.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.62 ฿53.0

93.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 MX$38.04

$1.59 ฿51.8

38.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$37.01

$1.40 ฿45.70

52.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 MX$39.97

$1.17 ฿38.17

97.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.61

$0.66 ฿21.60

63.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 MX$22.14

$0.53 ฿17.22

141.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.6

$4.69 ฿153

-10.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.25 MX$177

$18.66 ฿609

-45.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.99

$1.80 ฿58.8

-6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 MX$45.24

$3.23 ฿106

-18.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.42

$0.90 ฿29.26

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.6 MX$1,048

$19.21 ฿628

215.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.21 MX$72.8

$1.41 ฿45.91

198.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.48 MX$42.83

$1.29 ฿42.12

92.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.97 MX$172

$7.84 ฿256

27.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 MX$23.01

$1.27 ฿41.58

4.72%

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

$30.5K MX$528.1K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

43.49%

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

$24.1K MX$416.6K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

8.44%

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

$116 MX$2,000

$69.1 ฿2,256

67.37%

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

$23.15 MX$400

$14.08 ฿460

64.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.11 MX$625

$18.00 ฿588

100.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.40 MX$439

$41.06 ฿1,341

-38.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.07 MX$416

$6.96 ฿227

245.83%

Cinema Ticket

$6.06 MX$105

$5.92 ฿193

2.36%

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

$197 MX$3,413

$299 ฿9,766

-34.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,199 MX$89.9K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-65.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 MX$932

$54.7 ฿1,787

-1.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$690

$26.77 ฿874

49.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 MX$1,430

$85.0 ฿2,776

-2.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 MX$1,930

$70.6 ฿2,306

58.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 MX$10.7K

$428 ฿14.0K

43.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 MX$7,931

$237 ฿7,752

93.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 MX$21.9K

$801 ฿26.2K

58.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 MX$17.5K

$515 ฿16.8K

96.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,189 MX$37.9K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

10.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,287 MX$39.6K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

55.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$803 MX$13.9K

$617 ฿20.2K

30.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

128.40%

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

Last update for Cancun: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Cancun 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 30% higher in Cancun, 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 $54.0 in Cancun versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $282 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,365 in Cancun, $866 in Chiang Mai – roughly 58% apart. Cancun costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,048 per month in Cancun 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.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Cancun and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Cancun, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Cancun at $1,365. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cancun it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Cancun has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $866 in Chiang Mai to $1,365 in Cancun. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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