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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $909 in Acuna, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,583 in Acuna, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,257 in Acuna, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 5% cheaper than Acuna, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Acuna are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Acuna 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$14.08 MX$243

-86.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$22.03 MX$381

-15.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$8.07 MX$140

-3.10%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.75 MX$47.53

-29.09%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.01 MX$17.48

-15.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.99 MX$17.14

-64.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.32 MX$40.21

-8.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$4.00 MX$69.1

-6.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.54 MX$26.62

11.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.92 MX$33.25

-15.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.75 MX$30.24

-34.86%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.95 MX$51.0

-34.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$6.94 MX$120

133.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.98 MX$86.2

-37.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$8.77 MX$152

24.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.48 MX$42.83

10.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.42 MX$24.54

-14.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.78 MX$30.73

-8.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.91 MX$33.03

-16.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.82 MX$31.48

-23.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.47 MX$25.44

-20.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.02 MX$17.69

-35.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.32 MX$22.86

-59.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$4.17 MX$72.2

12.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$10.80 MX$187

72.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.61 MX$27.87

11.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.74 MX$47.39

17.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.62 MX$10.65

45.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$23.49 MX$406

-18.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.65 MX$45.87

-46.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.59 MX$27.51

-18.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$8.54 MX$148

-8.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.23 MX$21.29

3.25%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$17.5K MX$302.7K

21.57%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$17.8K MX$308.3K

24.61%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$56.1 MX$969

23.23%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$21.84 MX$378

-35.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$37.11 MX$642

-51.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$28.62 MX$495

43.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$14.48 MX$251

-51.93%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.29 MX$74.3

38.00%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$156 MX$2,699

91.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$3,636 MX$62.9K

311.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$45.75 MX$791

19.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$39.50 MX$683

-32.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$86.4 MX$1,495

-1.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$84.1 MX$1,454

-16.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$290 MX$5,009

47.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$197 MX$3,407

20.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$833 MX$14.4K

-3.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$630 MX$10.9K

-18.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,669 MX$28.9K

18.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,349 MX$23.3K

9.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

-56.45%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Acuna: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $290 in Acuna. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $22.00 in Acuna. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $226 in Acuna – so Acuna wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Acuna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Acuna is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,364 in Acuna. 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $909 in Acuna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 22% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $909 in Acuna, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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