Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cuautitlan Izcalli Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Cuautitlan Izcalli

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,034 in Cuautitlan Izcalli, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,619 in Cuautitlan Izcalli, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,204 in Cuautitlan Izcalli, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 18% cheaper than Cuautitlan Izcalli, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Cuautitlan Izcalli are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Cuautitlan Izcalli 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$10.61 MX$186

-81.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$25.33 MX$443

-25.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.04 MX$141

-1.49%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$3.13 MX$54.9

-38.98%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.58 MX$27.64

-46.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$1.16 MX$20.34

-69.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.33 MX$40.70

-5.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$4.90 MX$85.7

-22.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.58 MX$27.61

3.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$2.59 MX$45.32

-37.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.28 MX$22.49

-7.81%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.50 MX$43.69

-19.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$2.70 MX$47.25

488.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$5.17 MX$90.5

-41.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$6.72 MX$118

60.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.44 MX$42.74

6.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.56 MX$27.38

-21.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.30 MX$22.69

30.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.96 MX$34.35

-19.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$2.15 MX$37.70

-38.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$2.25 MX$39.32

-48.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.39 MX$24.41

-51.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.04 MX$18.19

-46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$4.14 MX$72.5

9.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$10.44 MX$183

74.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.49 MX$26.05

22.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.68 MX$64.4

-12.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.81 MX$14.15

9.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.80 MX$14.04

68.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.28 MX$4.85

382.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$5.44 MX$95.1

51.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.25 MX$21.80

1.60%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$19.3K MX$337.4K

9.72%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$23.2K MX$405.3K

-2.92%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$40.29 MX$705

74.11%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$26.86 MX$470

-48.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$18.35 MX$321

-4.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$36.54 MX$639

13.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$16.12 MX$282

-59.06%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$4.34 MX$76.0

33.18%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$426 MX$7,450

-28.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$3,583 MX$62.7K

313.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$52.7 MX$921

3.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$25.87 MX$453

1.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$105 MX$1,839

-19.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$52.2 MX$913

33.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$507 MX$8,865

-16.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$390 MX$6,828

-38.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$951 MX$16.6K

-13.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$770 MX$13.5K

-33.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,953 MX$34.2K

4.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,436 MX$25.1K

6.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-55.91%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cuautitlan Izcalli: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $507 in Cuautitlan Izcalli. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Cuautitlan Izcalli. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $212 in Cuautitlan Izcalli – so Cuautitlan Izcalli wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Cuautitlan Izcalli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cuautitlan Izcalli costs about 21% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,552 in Cuautitlan Izcalli. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $25.00 in Cuautitlan Izcalli. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Cuautitlan Izcalli – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Cuautitlan Izcalli at $1,034. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cuautitlan Izcalli it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,034 in Cuautitlan Izcalli. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cuautitlan Izcalli makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.