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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $869 in Chiang Mai versus $1,132 in Celaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,362 in Chiang Mai versus $1,835 in Celaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,855 in Chiang Mai versus $2,538 in Celaya.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Celaya 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$11.47 MX$197

-82.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$42.23 MX$725

-55.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$8.03 MX$138

-3.49%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$3.02 MX$51.8

-36.42%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.14 MX$19.51

-30.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.94 MX$16.08

-61.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.58 MX$44.21

-14.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.61 MX$79.1

-20.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.65 MX$28.36

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.32 MX$39.78

-29.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.52 MX$26.06

-21.71%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.03 MX$34.82

-1.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$9.62 MX$165

66.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$8.84 MX$152

-65.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$10.63 MX$182

2.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.79 MX$47.86

-1.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.61 MX$27.58

-26.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.79 MX$30.76

-8.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.91 MX$32.78

-20.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$2.08 MX$35.68

-33.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$2.21 MX$37.98

-46.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.31 MX$22.51

-46.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.95 MX$16.24

-41.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$4.04 MX$69.3

13.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$15.08 MX$259

9.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.72 MX$29.49

6.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$3.53 MX$60.6

-9.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.61 MX$10.40

44.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$26.25 MX$451

-28.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.76 MX$13.13

78.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.55 MX$26.62

-13.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$8.59 MX$147

-8.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.26 MX$21.62

-2.38%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$26.4K MX$452.3K

-17.95%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$21.8K MX$373.4K

3.65%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$46.54 MX$799

51.57%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$22.33 MX$383

-38.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$21.01 MX$361

-16.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$35.54 MX$610

16.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$15.81 MX$271

-55.98%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$4.67 MX$80.1

23.55%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$218 MX$3,750

40.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,429 MX$58.9K

326.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$57.5 MX$986

-2.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$42.79 MX$734

-38.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$98.3 MX$1,686

-12.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$73.1 MX$1,254

-1.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$514 MX$8,820

-16.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$396 MX$6,802

-39.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$931 MX$16.0K

-12.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$762 MX$13.1K

-33.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$869 MX$14.9K

-28.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

-56.52%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Celaya: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Chiang Mai and $514 in Celaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Celaya pays 40% 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 $42.00 in Celaya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $272 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 Celaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Celaya differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($869 vs $1,132 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Celaya earns 40% 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 $514 in Celaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $42.00 in Celaya. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $869 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,132 in Celaya – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $869 in Chiang Mai versus $1,132 in Celaya, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Celaya. 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 Celaya 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 30% less than in Celaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.