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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,201 in Azcapotzalco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $1,929 in Azcapotzalco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,657 in Azcapotzalco.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 22% less than in Azcapotzalco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 32% lower, Azcapotzalco 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$11.68 MX$200

-82.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$47.54 MX$816

-58.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$8.66 MX$149

-34.53%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$3.70 MX$63.6

-51.08%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$1.42 MX$24.35

-45.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$1.14 MX$19.50

-69.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$2.85 MX$48.96

-22.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$4.33 MX$74.4

-12.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$1.75 MX$30.08

17.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$2.89 MX$49.68

-47.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.80 MX$30.85

-22.22%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$2.52 MX$43.30

-10.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$8.65 MX$148

87.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$9.04 MX$155

-67.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$12.46 MX$214

-24.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$2.89 MX$49.66

-7.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$1.64 MX$28.17

-33.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$2.00 MX$34.35

-19.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$1.87 MX$32.01

-21.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$2.12 MX$36.36

-39.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$1.92 MX$33.00

-44.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$1.51 MX$25.90

-52.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$1.15 MX$19.72

-53.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$4.56 MX$78.3

-7.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$11.48 MX$197

59.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$1.91 MX$32.75

-14.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$3.30 MX$56.7

-12.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

$0.67 MX$11.44

31.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$2.80 MX$48.13

-58.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$2.05 MX$35.20

-71.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$13.02 MX$224

-81.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$1.49 MX$25.55

-2.68%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$22.5K MX$386.6K

-6.72%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$26.2K MX$449.7K

0.86%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$62.0 MX$1,063

2.74%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$23.41 MX$402

-44.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$31.70 MX$544

-35.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$35.90 MX$616

8.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$21.78 MX$374

-82.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$5.68 MX$97.5

15.85%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$250 MX$4,287

213.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$4,822 MX$82.8K

204.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$59.4 MX$1,020

-7.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$45.20 MX$776

-45.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$107 MX$1,831

-11.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$90.5 MX$1,553

-18.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$650 MX$11.2K

-24.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$406 MX$6,963

-28.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$1,118 MX$19.2K

-20.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$831 MX$14.3K

-37.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

$1,983 MX$34.0K

-0.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

$1,235 MX$21.2K

16.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$1,832 MX$31.4K

-67.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.3

-50.71%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Azcapotzalco: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $650 in Azcapotzalco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Azcapotzalco pays 205% 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 Azcapotzalco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $283 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 Azcapotzalco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Azcapotzalco differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($932 vs $1,201 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 205% lower in Azcapotzalco. 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 $650 in Azcapotzalco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Azcapotzalco. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $932 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,201 in Azcapotzalco – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,201 in Azcapotzalco, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Azcapotzalco. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Chiang Mai and Azcapotzalco 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 29% less than in Azcapotzalco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.