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: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,146 in Celaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,360 in Chiang Mai versus $1,833 in Celaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,867 in Chiang Mai versus $2,521 in Celaya.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Celaya 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$11.82 MX$204

-82.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$42.45 MX$734

-55.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$7.87 MX$136

-0.13%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.98 MX$51.6

-31.88%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.14 MX$19.65

-29.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.89 MX$15.31

-60.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.66 MX$46.05

-19.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$4.38 MX$75.8

-16.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.65 MX$28.50

4.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$2.39 MX$41.28

-34.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.46 MX$25.21

-17.81%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.00 MX$34.59

-1.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$9.14 MX$158

77.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$9.02 MX$156

-66.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$10.64 MX$184

1.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.94 MX$50.9

-5.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.58 MX$27.36

-25.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.73 MX$29.90

-1.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.94 MX$33.54

-18.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$2.17 MX$37.52

-35.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$2.26 MX$39.05

-48.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.27 MX$21.91

-48.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.99 MX$17.11

-47.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$3.91 MX$67.7

18.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$17.12 MX$296

3.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.67 MX$28.94

7.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$3.35 MX$58.0

-0.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.59 MX$10.27

54.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$25.96 MX$449

-28.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.77 MX$13.27

83.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.62 MX$27.97

-17.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$8.69 MX$150

-6.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.32 MX$22.75

-6.82%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$25.5K MX$440.5K

-15.81%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$21.7K MX$375.3K

0.61%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$45.88 MX$794

55.47%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$22.31 MX$386

-37.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$21.21 MX$367

-15.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$35.85 MX$620

13.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$16.13 MX$279

-57.35%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$4.89 MX$84.7

16.97%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$223 MX$3,864

38.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$3,450 MX$59.7K

325.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$58.4 MX$1,010

-4.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$42.75 MX$740

-39.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$98.8 MX$1,709

-14.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$74.3 MX$1,286

-4.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$501 MX$8,676

-15.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$393 MX$6,791

-38.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$925 MX$16.0K

-13.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$776 MX$13.4K

-34.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$870 MX$15.1K

-31.64%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Celaya: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Chiang Mai and $501 in Celaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Celaya pays 46% 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 $244 vs $277 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 34% in total monthly costs ($852 vs $1,146 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 46% lower in Celaya. 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 $501 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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,146 in Celaya – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,146 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 34% less than in Celaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.