Cost of Living Comparison Between Cha-am and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Cha-am and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $910 in Cha-am versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,464 in Cha-am versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,018 in Cha-am versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

Living in Cha-am costs roughly 46% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cha-am is 34% below, Mexico City is 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.14 ฿104

$12.14 MX$206

-74.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.86 ฿722

$53.9 MX$914

-59.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 ฿246

$11.09 MX$188

-33.00%

Cappuccino

$2.10 ฿69.3

$4.10 MX$69.5

-48.78%

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

$0.70 ฿23.15

$1.68 MX$28.53

-58.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.74

$1.39 MX$23.55

-76.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿79.1

$3.33 MX$56.5

-27.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.3

$5.88 MX$99.7

-49.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ฿57.7

$1.85 MX$31.41

-5.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.68

$3.17 MX$53.8

-52.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.88

$2.07 MX$35.13

-31.40%

Eggs

$1.88 ฿62.3

$2.93 MX$49.67

-35.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.57 ฿415

$12.59 MX$214

-0.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.65 ฿87.5

$10.11 MX$172

-73.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.51 ฿347

$16.09 MX$273

-34.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.59 ฿119

$3.39 MX$57.5

5.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 ฿41.24

$2.08 MX$35.26

-39.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 ฿63.4

$2.12 MX$35.97

-9.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 ฿61.7

$2.41 MX$40.95

-22.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 ฿59.3

$2.13 MX$36.11

-15.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.46

$2.01 MX$34.02

-46.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ฿39.16

$1.55 MX$26.21

-23.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 ฿14.11

$1.36 MX$23.15

-68.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.39 ฿145

$5.77 MX$97.8

-23.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.15 ฿600

$17.74 MX$301

2.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 ฿56.6

$2.07 MX$35.11

-17.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 ฿102

$4.61 MX$78.3

-33.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.48

$0.37 MX$6.21

140.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.37 ฿739

$21.18 MX$359

5.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.46

$2.05 MX$34.84

-31.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 ฿37.88

$0.58 MX$9.79

98.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 ฿120

$6.07 MX$103

-40.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.47

$1.55 MX$26.34

-9.03%

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

$16.8K ฿556.3K

$22.9K MX$388.1K

-26.39%

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

$27.2K ฿899.9K

$27.2K MX$462.0K

0.01%

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

$84.2 ฿2,782

$67.4 MX$1,144

24.92%

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

$11.67 ฿386

$30.62 MX$520

-61.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.03 ฿761

$37.24 MX$632

-38.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.92 ฿790

$61.5 MX$1,043

-61.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.15 ฿203

$27.12 MX$460

-77.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 ฿220

$7.11 MX$121

-6.47%

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

$637 ฿21.1K

$456 MX$7,739

39.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K ฿360.6K

$13.7K MX$232.3K

-20.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.1 ฿1,722

$74.2 MX$1,259

-29.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.55 ฿976

$57.0 MX$967

-48.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.2 ฿2,387

$115 MX$1,958

-37.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.2 ฿1,825

$122 MX$2,061

-54.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 ฿12.8K

$1,148 MX$19.5K

-66.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$276 ฿9,128

$709 MX$12.0K

-61.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 ฿24.9K

$2,577 MX$43.7K

-70.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 ฿21.8K

$1,295 MX$22.0K

-49.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$371 ฿12.3K

$1,082 MX$18.4K

-65.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.96

11.3

-47.26%

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

Last update for Cha-am: September 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Cha-am and $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 192% 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: $22.00 in Cha-am vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $345 per month, with Cha-am 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

Cha-am vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cha-am and Mexico City differ by about 84% in total monthly costs ($910 vs $1,677 including rent). Cha-am is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 192% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $387 in Cha-am versus $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $910 per month in Cha-am versus $1,677 in Mexico City – a 84% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cha-am runs roughly 6% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $910 in Cha-am versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cha-am but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Cha-am 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, Cha-am and Mexico City 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 Cha-am gentler on the wallet – expenses run 84% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.