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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $947 in Chiang Mai versus $1,167 in Aguascalientes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,411 in Chiang Mai versus $1,878 in Aguascalientes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,874 in Chiang Mai versus $2,589 in Aguascalientes.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 19% less than in Aguascalientes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 31% lower, Aguascalientes 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.4

$13.76 MX$234

-84.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿654

$47.62 MX$809

-58.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿188

$7.57 MX$129

-25.36%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$4.13 MX$70.2

-56.17%

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

$0.71 ฿23.75

$1.78 MX$30.18

-60.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$1.31 MX$22.22

-75.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿74.5

$2.42 MX$41.05

-7.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿121

$3.55 MX$60.4

2.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿65.2

$1.55 MX$26.36

26.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$2.33 MX$39.55

-35.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

$1.57 MX$26.70

-14.65%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$2.59 MX$44.09

-12.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿541

$8.41 MX$143

93.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.4

$8.96 MX$152

-67.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿331

$12.16 MX$207

-18.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿85.7

$2.43 MX$41.23

5.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.18

$1.43 MX$24.32

-25.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.7

$1.64 MX$27.93

-1.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.6

$1.88 MX$31.99

-19.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿42.30

$1.66 MX$28.13

-23.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.51

$1.51 MX$25.68

-29.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.98

$1.07 MX$18.16

-32.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.94

$0.95 MX$16.15

-46.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿140

$4.73 MX$80.5

-11.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿595

$9.66 MX$164

84.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿56.4

$1.87 MX$31.84

-9.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿94.5

$3.77 MX$64.0

-24.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.82

$0.68 MX$11.49

36.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,794

$25.72 MX$437

109.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿41.11

$1.33 MX$22.63

-7.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.20

$1.19 MX$20.25

-51.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿80.7

$11.70 MX$199

-79.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$1.57 MX$26.60

-10.19%

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

$21.4K ฿714.1K

$22.3K MX$379.3K

-3.92%

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

$27.3K ฿910.2K

$25.8K MX$437.7K

6.12%

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

$63.7 ฿2,120

$59.2 MX$1,006

7.53%

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

$12.85 ฿428

$26.57 MX$452

-51.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿673

$26.17 MX$445

-22.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,290

$33.31 MX$566

16.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

$23.06 MX$392

-82.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿224

$5.43 MX$92.2

24.13%

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

$778 ฿25.9K

$230 MX$3,909

238.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿486.5K

$3,096 MX$52.6K

371.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,808

$58.5 MX$994

-7.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿847

$41.70 MX$709

-38.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,141

$112 MX$1,902

-15.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,446

$76.3 MX$1,296

-3.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$540 MX$9,172

-9.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,634

$371 MX$6,311

-22.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.8K

$848 MX$14.4K

5.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.2K

$691 MX$11.7K

-25.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿65.1K

$1,276 MX$21.7K

53.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿49.2K

$1,273 MX$21.6K

16.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$929 MX$15.8K

-35.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.2

-50.27%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Aguascalientes: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $540 in Aguascalientes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aguascalientes pays 54% 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: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $48.00 in Aguascalientes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $259 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

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

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 54% lower in Aguascalientes. 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: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $540 in Aguascalientes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 109% less than in Aguascalientes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $778 in Chiang Mai versus $230 in Aguascalientes. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $947 in Chiang Mai versus $1,167 in Aguascalientes, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Aguascalientes. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Chiang Mai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Aguascalientes, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Aguascalientes 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 23% less than in Aguascalientes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.