Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Atotonilco el Alto Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Atotonilco el Alto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,167 in Atotonilco el Alto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $1,845 in Atotonilco el Alto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $2,522 in Atotonilco el Alto.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 26% less than in Atotonilco el Alto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Atotonilco el Alto 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$9.37 MX$162

-79.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$45.59 MX$789

-59.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$8.16 MX$141

-4.17%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.69 MX$63.8

-47.15%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.27 MX$21.93

-33.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.93 MX$16.13

-62.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.36 MX$40.87

-9.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$4.32 MX$74.8

-13.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.61 MX$27.77

6.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.58 MX$44.68

-36.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.02 MX$35.02

-43.56%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.39 MX$41.39

-19.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$8.13 MX$141

99.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$9.77 MX$169

-68.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$13.23 MX$229

-17.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$3.59 MX$62.2

-23.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.47 MX$25.51

-17.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.94 MX$33.61

-16.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.71 MX$29.64

-7.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.79 MX$30.96

-21.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.82 MX$31.55

-35.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.32 MX$22.76

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$1.12 MX$19.34

-52.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$4.32 MX$74.8

8.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$17.48 MX$302

6.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.94 MX$33.58

-7.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.19 MX$55.3

1.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.64 MX$11.09

40.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$3.20 MX$55.4

-55.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.20 MX$20.71

7.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$9.48 MX$164

-17.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.30 MX$22.41

-2.31%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$19.5K MX$338.1K

8.84%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$20.1K MX$347.1K

10.69%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$61.4 MX$1,062

12.49%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$24.08 MX$417

-41.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$27.87 MX$482

-35.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$36.60 MX$633

12.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$15.66 MX$271

-55.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.86 MX$101

1.02%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$320 MX$5,539

-6.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$4,797 MX$83.0K

211.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$51.1 MX$884

7.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$42.13 MX$729

-36.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$97.4 MX$1,685

-12.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$97.0 MX$1,677

-27.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$519 MX$8,981

-17.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$394 MX$6,818

-39.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$949 MX$16.4K

-15.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$752 MX$13.0K

-31.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,808 MX$31.3K

9.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,405 MX$24.3K

4.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

-56.71%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Atotonilco el Alto: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $519 in Atotonilco el Alto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $46.00 in Atotonilco el Alto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $294 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 Atotonilco el Alto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,300 in Chiang Mai and $1,750 in Atotonilco el Alto to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $519 in Atotonilco el Alto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $299 in Chiang Mai versus $320 in Atotonilco el Alto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $46.00 in Atotonilco el Alto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,167 in Atotonilco el Alto, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Atotonilco el Alto. 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 Atotonilco el Alto, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Atotonilco el Alto 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 35% less than in Atotonilco el Alto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.