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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $974 in Acapulco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,448 in Acapulco, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,921 in Acapulco, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 12% cheaper than Acapulco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Acapulco are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Acapulco 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$10.66 MX$187

-81.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$32.14 MX$564

-42.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$11.30 MX$198

-33.81%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$3.61 MX$63.3

-44.04%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$1.83 MX$32.12

-53.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$1.63 MX$28.61

-77.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$2.68 MX$46.93

-20.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$4.72 MX$82.8

-23.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.61 MX$28.20

2.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$3.18 MX$55.8

-50.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.55 MX$27.19

-23.23%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.75 MX$30.64

10.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$6.37 MX$112

154.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$8.16 MX$143

-63.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$10.45 MX$183

4.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$4.37 MX$76.7

-37.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.71 MX$29.97

-31.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$3.22 MX$56.6

-47.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$3.09 MX$54.2

-48.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$3.26 MX$57.3

-57.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$2.80 MX$49.12

-57.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$1.20 MX$21.12

-44.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.81 MX$14.22

-30.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$7.79 MX$137

-40.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$6.74 MX$118

161.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.08 MX$18.88

72.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$2.63 MX$46.12

25.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.73 MX$12.84

20.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$4.21 MX$73.8

-67.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$1.56 MX$27.31

-14.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$8.48 MX$149

-3.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.32 MX$23.22

-7.58%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$21.5K MX$377.5K

-0.79%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$22.9K MX$401.1K

-1.47%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$38.62 MX$677

82.99%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$22.48 MX$394

-37.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$21.00 MX$368

-16.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$18.38 MX$322

129.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$12.97 MX$228

-46.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.74 MX$65.6

58.29%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$156 MX$2,732

98.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$3,663 MX$64.2K

306.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$63.1 MX$1,106

-11.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$43.08 MX$756

-39.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$108 MX$1,893

-23.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$79.2 MX$1,389

-11.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$495 MX$8,691

-12.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$236 MX$4,146

1.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$921 MX$16.2K

-10.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$248 MX$4,357

106.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$479 MX$8,393

21.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

-56.52%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Acapulco: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $495 in Acapulco. 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 21% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $32.00 in Acapulco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $267 – 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

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

Acapulco costs about 13% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,461 in Acapulco. 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $974 in Acapulco. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $156 in Acapulco. 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 $861, than in Acapulco at $974. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Acapulco it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $974 in Acapulco. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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