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 $1,136 in Celaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,354 in Chiang Mai versus $1,837 in Celaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,857 in Chiang Mai versus $2,537 in Celaya.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 25% less than in Celaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 36% lower, Celaya 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$11.50 MX$201

-82.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$42.27 MX$740

-55.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$7.80 MX$136

1.54%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.87 MX$50.2

-33.45%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.14 MX$19.98

-26.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.95 MX$16.57

-63.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.63 MX$45.95

-15.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$4.54 MX$79.4

-16.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.66 MX$28.97

-1.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$2.29 MX$40.16

-29.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.46 MX$25.59

-19.18%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.03 MX$35.50

-0.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$9.47 MX$166

67.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$8.69 MX$152

-65.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$10.94 MX$191

-1.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.94 MX$51.5

-11.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.59 MX$27.82

-23.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.77 MX$30.91

-3.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.87 MX$32.66

-15.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$2.18 MX$38.08

-39.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$2.25 MX$39.45

-48.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.34 MX$23.41

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.00 MX$17.45

-44.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$4.00 MX$69.9

13.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$14.13 MX$247

28.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.75 MX$30.63

4.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.50 MX$61.2

-7.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.60 MX$10.54

48.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$26.03 MX$456

-25.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.75 MX$13.19

80.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.59 MX$27.89

-15.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$8.83 MX$155

-6.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.31 MX$22.96

-3.05%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$26.1K MX$456.3K

-18.86%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$21.8K MX$381.3K

3.21%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$45.46 MX$796

54.31%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$22.17 MX$388

-37.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$21.03 MX$368

-16.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$36.14 MX$633

15.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$15.56 MX$272

-57.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$4.81 MX$84.2

20.17%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$221 MX$3,866

38.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$3,370 MX$59.0K

339.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$58.0 MX$1,015

-6.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$42.04 MX$736

-37.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$101 MX$1,764

-16.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$74.2 MX$1,299

-6.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$514 MX$8,991

-17.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$396 MX$6,936

-39.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$925 MX$16.2K

-10.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$748 MX$13.1K

-31.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$848 MX$14.8K

-25.13%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Celaya: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Chiang Mai and $514 in Celaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Celaya pays 34% 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 $243 vs $271 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 33% in total monthly costs ($852 vs $1,136 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Celaya earns 34% 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: $424 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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,136 in Celaya – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,136 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 33% less than in Celaya. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.