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: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,025 in Aguascalientes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $1,543 in Aguascalientes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $2,061 in Aguascalientes.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 15% less than in Aguascalientes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Aguascalientes 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$8.12 MX$140

-76.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$34.46 MX$596

-45.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$7.07 MX$122

10.61%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.20 MX$55.4

-39.06%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.08 MX$18.72

-21.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.80 MX$13.84

-56.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.80 MX$31.19

18.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.15 MX$54.5

18.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.35 MX$23.28

26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.25 MX$38.86

-27.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.58 MX$27.28

-27.85%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.96 MX$33.85

-1.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$7.97 MX$138

103.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.16 MX$124

-56.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$9.66 MX$167

12.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.26 MX$39.02

21.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$0.97 MX$16.72

24.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$0.83 MX$14.36

95.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.42 MX$24.53

11.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.40 MX$24.27

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.97 MX$16.73

20.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.90 MX$15.50

-26.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.83 MX$14.39

-36.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$4.14 MX$71.6

13.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$8.98 MX$155

107.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.50 MX$25.98

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.66 MX$46.08

21.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.55 MX$9.59

63.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$22.01 MX$381

-12.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.07 MX$18.57

31.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.93 MX$16.15

38.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$3.24 MX$56.0

141.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.24 MX$21.51

2.42%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$22.2K MX$383.5K

-4.04%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$23.4K MX$405.2K

-5.19%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$44.40 MX$768

55.56%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$20.16 MX$349

-30.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$23.39 MX$405

-23.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$25.83 MX$447

58.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$21.83 MX$378

-68.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.15 MX$71.8

42.65%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$178 MX$3,075

68.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$2,589 MX$44.8K

477.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$51.1 MX$884

7.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$34.96 MX$605

-23.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$85.2 MX$1,474

-0.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$53.7 MX$930

31.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$385 MX$6,663

11.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$384 MX$6,645

-38.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$571 MX$9,868

40.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$595 MX$10.3K

-13.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,228 MX$21.2K

60.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,241 MX$21.5K

18.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$920 MX$15.9K

-32.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.24

-55.52%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Aguascalientes: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $385 in Aguascalientes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aguascalientes pays 49% 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: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $34.00 in Aguascalientes. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $217, with Aguascalientes cheaper for home cooking.

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 Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Aguascalientes earns 49% less. 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: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $385 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 15% less than in Aguascalientes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $299 in Chiang Mai versus $178 in Aguascalientes. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Chiang Mai gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 18% less than in Aguascalientes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.