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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,136 in Celaya versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,837 in Celaya versus $1,354 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,537 in Celaya versus $1,857 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Celaya is roughly 33% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Celaya 15% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.50 MX$200

$1.96 ฿63.6

486.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.27 MX$735

$18.81 ฿611

124.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.80 MX$136

$7.92 ฿258

-1.52%

Cappuccino

$2.87 MX$49.86

$1.91 ฿62.2

50.26%

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

$1.14 MX$19.87

$0.84 ฿27.25

35.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.48

$0.35 ฿11.44

171.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 MX$45.68

$2.21 ฿71.7

19.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 MX$78.9

$3.80 ฿124

19.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 MX$28.80

$1.64 ฿53.2

1.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 MX$39.93

$1.62 ฿52.8

41.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.44

$1.18 ฿38.40

23.73%

Eggs

$2.03 MX$35.30

$2.01 ฿65.4

1.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.47 MX$165

$15.89 ฿517

-40.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.69 MX$151

$3.01 ฿98.0

188.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 MX$190

$10.77 ฿350

1.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 MX$51.2

$2.61 ฿85.0

12.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 MX$27.66

$1.22 ฿39.65

30.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.73

$1.70 ฿55.4

4.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.47

$1.58 ฿51.2

18.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.86

$1.32 ฿42.89

65.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 MX$39.23

$1.17 ฿38.01

92.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$0.67 ฿21.85

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 MX$17.35

$0.56 ฿18.21

78.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 MX$69.5

$4.53 ฿147

-11.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.13 MX$246

$18.20 ฿592

-22.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 MX$30.46

$1.83 ฿59.6

-4.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.23 ฿105

8.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.48

$0.89 ฿28.83

-32.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.03 MX$453

$19.38 ฿630

34.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 MX$13.11

$1.35 ฿43.95

-44.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 MX$27.73

$1.35 ฿43.79

17.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.83 MX$154

$8.25 ฿268

7.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.83

$1.27 ฿41.40

3.15%

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

$26.1K MX$453.7K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

23.25%

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

$21.8K MX$379.1K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

-3.11%

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

$45.46 MX$791

$70.2 ฿2,281

-35.20%

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

$22.17 MX$386

$13.77 ฿448

61.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.03 MX$366

$17.60 ฿572

19.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.14 MX$629

$41.57 ฿1,352

-13.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.56 MX$271

$6.60 ฿215

135.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MX$83.8

$5.78 ฿188

-16.78%

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

$221 MX$3,843

$306 ฿9,953

-27.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,370 MX$58.6K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-77.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 MX$1,010

$54.4 ฿1,768

6.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.04 MX$732

$26.14 ฿850

60.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MX$1,754

$84.5 ฿2,748

19.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.2 MX$1,292

$69.4 ฿2,257

6.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$514 MX$8,940

$424 ฿13.8K

21.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 MX$6,896

$238 ฿7,743

66.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$925 MX$16.1K

$825 ฿26.8K

12.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 MX$13.0K

$515 ฿16.7K

45.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$848 MX$14.8K

$635 ฿20.6K

33.56%

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 Celaya: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $514 in Celaya and $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Celaya pays 34% 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: $42.00 in Celaya vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $243 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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

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

Celaya and Chiang Mai differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($1,136 vs $852 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Celaya pays 34% 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: $514 in Celaya versus $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $42.00 in Celaya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,136 per month in Celaya versus $852 in Chiang Mai – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,136 in Celaya, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Celaya. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Celaya 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 33% less than in Celaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.