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: $869 in Chiang Mai versus $1,121 in Azcapotzalco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,362 in Chiang Mai versus $1,745 in Azcapotzalco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,855 in Chiang Mai versus $2,369 in Azcapotzalco.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 23% less than in Azcapotzalco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Azcapotzalco 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$10.60 MX$182

-81.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$39.79 MX$683

-52.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$8.06 MX$138

-3.85%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$3.38 MX$58.0

-43.20%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.22 MX$20.98

-35.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.90 MX$15.44

-60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.41 MX$41.37

-8.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.99 MX$68.5

-8.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.44 MX$24.78

14.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.63 MX$45.15

-38.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.57 MX$27.00

-24.20%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.37 MX$40.76

-15.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$8.01 MX$137

99.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$8.10 MX$139

-62.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$10.39 MX$178

4.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.70 MX$46.28

2.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.41 MX$24.14

-16.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.78 MX$30.63

-7.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.61 MX$27.56

-5.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.87 MX$32.07

-26.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.98 MX$34.01

-39.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.21 MX$20.74

-42.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.97 MX$16.69

-42.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$4.16 MX$71.4

10.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$10.75 MX$185

54.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.54 MX$26.37

18.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.88 MX$49.42

11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.60 MX$10.31

46.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$2.60 MX$44.69

-47.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.61 MX$27.65

-16.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$8.25 MX$142

-4.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.30 MX$22.40

-5.38%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$21.1K MX$362.8K

2.31%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$22.7K MX$388.9K

-0.48%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$56.2 MX$965

25.52%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$22.41 MX$385

-38.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$28.67 MX$492

-39.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$36.58 MX$628

12.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$16.02 MX$275

-56.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$4.50 MX$77.2

28.22%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$205 MX$3,514

50.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,633 MX$62.4K

302.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$52.9 MX$908

5.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$40.01 MX$687

-34.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$91.4 MX$1,569

-6.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$78.8 MX$1,352

-8.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$517 MX$8,870

-16.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$393 MX$6,750

-39.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$930 MX$16.0K

-12.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$763 MX$13.1K

-33.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,979 MX$34.0K

0.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,272 MX$21.8K

16.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$1,812 MX$31.1K

-65.86%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Azcapotzalco: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Chiang Mai and $517 in Azcapotzalco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Azcapotzalco pays 193% 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 $241 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 29% in total monthly costs ($869 vs $1,121 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Azcapotzalco earns 193% 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: $430 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 4% higher in Azcapotzalco. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $869 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,121 in Azcapotzalco – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $869 in Chiang Mai versus $1,121 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.