Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Oaxaca de Juarez Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Oaxaca de Juarez

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,060 in Oaxaca de Juarez, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,628 in Oaxaca de Juarez, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,196 in Oaxaca de Juarez, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 18% cheaper than Oaxaca de Juarez, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Oaxaca de Juarez are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Oaxaca de Juarez 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$5.72 MX$98.9

-66.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$26.95 MX$466

-30.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$7.75 MX$134

0.90%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.56 MX$44.36

-23.83%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.19 MX$20.57

-28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.70 MX$12.09

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.28 MX$39.35

-6.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.46 MX$59.9

7.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.28 MX$22.16

33.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.65 MX$45.77

-38.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.08 MX$18.60

5.56%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.59 MX$27.44

21.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$6.16 MX$107

163.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.67 MX$80.7

-33.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$11.17 MX$193

-2.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.13 MX$36.92

29.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.18 MX$20.40

2.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.72 MX$29.77

-5.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.55 MX$9.50

189.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$2.17 MX$37.62

-35.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.89 MX$32.71

-38.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.04 MX$17.97

-36.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.78 MX$13.43

-32.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$4.04 MX$69.8

16.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$9.97 MX$172

87.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.29 MX$22.39

39.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.80 MX$48.39

15.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.54 MX$9.35

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.56 MX$44.31

-44.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$2.48 MX$42.94

-47.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$10.75 MX$186

-27.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.29 MX$22.33

-1.55%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$22.6K MX$390.5K

-5.75%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$24.0K MX$415.2K

-7.46%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$67.1 MX$1,161

2.87%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$10.67 MX$185

31.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$24.09 MX$417

-25.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$31.95 MX$553

28.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$15.89 MX$275

-56.20%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$5.37 MX$92.8

10.24%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$369 MX$6,377

-18.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$3,543 MX$61.3K

322.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$38.20 MX$661

43.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$58.7 MX$1,016

-54.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$67.1 MX$1,160

26.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$99.0 MX$1,713

-28.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$595 MX$10.3K

-27.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$418 MX$7,223

-43.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,050 MX$18.2K

-23.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$846 MX$14.6K

-39.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.25

-55.56%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Oaxaca de Juarez: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $595 in Oaxaca de Juarez. 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 $27.00 in Oaxaca de Juarez. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $208 in Oaxaca de Juarez – so Oaxaca de Juarez 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 Oaxaca de Juarez: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oaxaca de Juarez costs about 22% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,590 in Oaxaca de Juarez. 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 $27.00 in Oaxaca de Juarez. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Oaxaca de Juarez – 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 $866, than in Oaxaca de Juarez at $1,060. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Oaxaca de Juarez it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,060 in Oaxaca de Juarez. 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, Oaxaca de Juarez makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.