Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Puerto Escondido Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Puerto Escondido

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,138 in Puerto Escondido, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,779 in Puerto Escondido, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,420 in Puerto Escondido, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 24% cheaper than Puerto Escondido, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Puerto Escondido are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Puerto Escondido 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$9.30 MX$160

-78.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$39.25 MX$674

-52.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$7.85 MX$135

-1.27%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$3.27 MX$56.1

-41.28%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.27 MX$21.82

-37.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.97 MX$16.69

-62.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.57 MX$44.17

-14.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.83 MX$65.7

-4.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.45 MX$24.80

13.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.75 MX$47.12

-40.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.07 MX$18.44

11.21%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.92 MX$32.97

4.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$8.05 MX$138

98.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$7.96 MX$137

-61.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$11.51 MX$198

-5.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.57 MX$44.15

7.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.04 MX$17.81

13.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.77 MX$30.42

-7.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.76 MX$30.14

-13.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$2.15 MX$36.84

-35.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$2.68 MX$46.08

-55.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.20 MX$20.67

-41.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$1.02 MX$17.48

-45.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$4.94 MX$84.8

-7.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$10.64 MX$183

55.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.21 MX$37.85

-17.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.86 MX$49.16

11.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.73 MX$12.60

20.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$2.52 MX$43.27

-46.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.60 MX$27.42

-16.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$8.46 MX$145

-7.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.32 MX$22.74

-6.82%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$21.1K MX$362.9K

2.26%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$22.1K MX$378.8K

2.16%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$57.6 MX$988

22.57%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$22.22 MX$381

-38.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$56.1 MX$962

-68.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$21.41 MX$368

93.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$10.66 MX$183

-34.71%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$4.68 MX$80.4

23.29%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$158 MX$2,707

94.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$3,658 MX$62.8K

299.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$52.7 MX$905

5.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$40.42 MX$694

-35.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$88.2 MX$1,514

-2.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$78.8 MX$1,353

-8.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$390 MX$6,689

10.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$400 MX$6,865

-40.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$944 MX$16.2K

-13.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$771 MX$13.2K

-33.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,961 MX$33.7K

1.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,276 MX$21.9K

16.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$349 MX$5,983

77.52%

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 Puerto Escondido: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $390 in Puerto Escondido. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 78% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $39.00 in Puerto Escondido. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $254 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Puerto Escondido: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puerto Escondido costs about 31% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,707 in Puerto Escondido. 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 $39.00 in Puerto Escondido. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Puerto Escondido, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $869, than in Puerto Escondido at $1,138. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Puerto Escondido it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,138 in Puerto Escondido. 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, Puerto Escondido makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.