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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $923 in Acapulco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,524 in Acapulco, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,125 in Acapulco, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Acapulco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Acapulco are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Acapulco 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$10.04 MX$173

-79.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$41.10 MX$708

-52.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$12.81 MX$221

-55.74%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$4.14 MX$71.3

-56.28%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$1.74 MX$29.91

-55.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$1.77 MX$30.54

-80.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$3.30 MX$56.8

-33.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$5.11 MX$87.9

-25.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.69 MX$29.15

21.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$3.20 MX$55.1

-52.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.72 MX$29.54

-18.60%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$1.93 MX$33.22

17.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$7.11 MX$122

127.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$8.50 MX$146

-65.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$11.76 MX$203

-19.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$5.05 MX$87.0

-46.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.76 MX$30.26

-38.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$3.40 MX$58.6

-52.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$3.42 MX$58.9

-57.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$3.76 MX$64.7

-65.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$3.19 MX$55.0

-66.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$1.38 MX$23.77

-47.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.84 MX$14.54

-36.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$8.88 MX$153

-52.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$7.05 MX$121

159.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.14 MX$19.56

42.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.88 MX$49.54

0.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$1.01 MX$17.32

-12.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$5.12 MX$88.1

-77.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.56 MX$26.89

-7.05%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$23.0K MX$396.5K

-8.75%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$25.8K MX$443.4K

2.61%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$43.43 MX$748

46.56%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$15.90 MX$274

-18.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$23.16 MX$399

-11.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$20.30 MX$350

92.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$14.86 MX$256

-73.62%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$4.10 MX$70.6

60.49%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$175 MX$3,019

347.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$69.1 MX$1,190

-20.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$45.77 MX$788

-45.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$118 MX$2,039

-20.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$89.2 MX$1,535

-17.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$548 MX$9,435

-10.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$164 MX$2,817

76.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$1,032 MX$17.8K

-13.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$343 MX$5,908

51.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$480 MX$8,271

25.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.6

-51.98%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Acapulco: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $548 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 25% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $41.00 in Acapulco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $288 – 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

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Acapulco, 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,385 in Acapulco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Acapulco, 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 $932 in Chiang Mai and $923 in Acapulco. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $175 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 Acapulco, where all-in costs run around $923, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Acapulco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Acapulco costs $923 versus $932 in Chiang Mai. 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 Acapulco. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.