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: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,085 in Azcapotzalco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,360 in Chiang Mai versus $1,740 in Azcapotzalco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,867 in Chiang Mai versus $2,395 in Azcapotzalco.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 21% less than in Azcapotzalco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Azcapotzalco 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$10.38 MX$181

-80.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$39.67 MX$692

-52.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$8.01 MX$140

-1.87%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$3.38 MX$58.9

-39.94%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$1.30 MX$22.62

-38.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$0.95 MX$16.58

-63.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$2.36 MX$41.21

-9.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$3.87 MX$67.5

-5.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$1.44 MX$25.04

20.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$2.60 MX$45.34

-39.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$1.61 MX$28.12

-25.47%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$2.38 MX$41.56

-17.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$8.10 MX$141

100.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$7.99 MX$139

-61.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$10.54 MX$184

2.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$2.60 MX$45.30

6.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$1.45 MX$25.27

-19.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$1.77 MX$30.88

-3.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$1.59 MX$27.72

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$1.85 MX$32.33

-24.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$1.96 MX$34.11

-40.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$1.19 MX$20.82

-44.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.98 MX$17.08

-46.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$4.10 MX$71.6

13.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$10.78 MX$188

64.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$1.59 MX$27.76

12.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$2.86 MX$49.86

16.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$0.60 MX$10.52

51.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$2.56 MX$44.66

-44.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$1.59 MX$27.76

-15.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$8.39 MX$146

-3.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$1.33 MX$23.17

-7.52%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$21.6K MX$376.3K

-0.64%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$22.3K MX$389.5K

-2.27%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$57.1 MX$996

24.88%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$22.40 MX$391

-37.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$28.66 MX$500

-37.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$36.40 MX$635

12.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$15.56 MX$271

-55.78%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$4.58 MX$79.8

24.89%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$203 MX$3,542

51.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$3,645 MX$63.6K

302.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$52.2 MX$911

6.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$39.64 MX$691

-34.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$89.7 MX$1,564

-5.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$78.2 MX$1,364

-9.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$517 MX$9,008

-18.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$398 MX$6,935

-39.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$946 MX$16.5K

-15.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$765 MX$13.3K

-33.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$1,911 MX$33.3K

0.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$1,214 MX$21.2K

20.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$1,837 MX$32.0K

-67.61%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Azcapotzalco: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Chiang Mai and $517 in Azcapotzalco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Azcapotzalco pays 209% 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 $40.00 in Azcapotzalco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $250 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 27% in total monthly costs ($852 vs $1,085 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 209% 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: $423 in Chiang Mai versus $517 in Azcapotzalco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Azcapotzalco. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $852 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,085 in Azcapotzalco – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,085 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 27% less than in Azcapotzalco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.