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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 27.9% cheaper than Puerto Vallarta without rent, and 44.5% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 31.8% cheaper than Puerto Vallarta without rent, and 42.8% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Puerto Vallarta
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.02 ฿65.3
$10.77 MX$204
-81.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.78 ฿608
$47.77 MX$903
-60.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.67 ฿248
$9.67 MX$183
-20.68%
Cappuccino
$1.98 ฿64.2
$3.47 MX$65.7
-42.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 ฿26.64
$1.88 MX$35.48
-56.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿10.58
$1.21 MX$22.81
-72.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.12 ฿68.6
$2.61 MX$49.28
-18.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73 ฿121
$4.4 MX$83.2
-15.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Puerto Vallarta
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ฿53.2
$1.58 MX$29.94
3.80%
White Bread (500g)
$1.57 ฿50.9
$3.48 MX$65.8
-54.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 ฿38.62
$2.43 MX$45.96
-51.03%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿64.1
$1.99 MX$37.71
-0.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.99 ฿517
$11.48 MX$217
39.29%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.12 ฿101
$10.39 MX$196
-69.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿361
$16.87 MX$319
-33.85%
Apples (1kg)
$2.76 ฿89.2
$2.36 MX$44.57
16.95%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿39.5
$1.41 MX$26.72
-13.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 ฿55.4
$1.67 MX$31.59
2.40%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.55 ฿50.2
$2.29 MX$43.25
-32.31%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 ฿43.21
$2.22 MX$42.03
-39.64%
Onion (1kg)
$1.21 ฿39.23
$2.97 MX$56.2
-59.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿23.2
$1.53 MX$28.94
-52.94%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.05
$1.15 MX$21.83
-53.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.72 ฿153
$4.22 MX$79.8
11.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.39 ฿595
$10.99 MX$208
67.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 ฿57.9
$2.06 MX$38.98
-13.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 ฿104
$3.4 MX$64.3
-5.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Puerto Vallarta
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.94 ฿30.44
$0.55 MX$10.44
70.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.9 ฿612
$15.67 MX$296
20.61%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 ฿46.08
$2.83 MX$53.5
-49.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿43.53
$2.62 MX$49.49
-48.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.85 ฿254
$4.33 MX$81.9
81.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 ฿40.4
$1.32 MX$24.93
-5.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿684.9K
$15K MX$284.4K
40.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿706.8K
$22.6K MX$427.2K
-3.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Puerto Vallarta
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.6 ฿2,285
$94.8 MX$1,793
-25.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.72 ฿444
$23.56 MX$445
-41.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.56 ฿568
$31.11 MX$588
-43.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Puerto Vallarta
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.64 ฿1,347
$35.87 MX$678
16.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.9 ฿223
$12.97 MX$245
-46.80%
Cinema Ticket
$5.8 ฿188
$8.04 MX$152
-27.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Puerto Vallarta
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 ฿9,963
$356 MX$6,735
-13.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.7K ฿475.8K
$6,428 MX$121.5K
128.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Puerto Vallarta
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.4 ฿1,793
$52.4 MX$990
5.79%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.4 ฿854
$33.68 MX$637
-21.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 ฿2,755
$99.1 MX$1,873
-14.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.8 ฿2,323
$91.5 MX$1,729
-21.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Puerto Vallarta
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$434 ฿14K
$987 MX$18.7K
-56.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$235 ฿7,610
$677 MX$12.8K
-65.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$821 ฿26.6K
$1,948 MX$36.8K
-57.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$498 ฿16.1K
$1,269 MX$24K
-60.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,180 ฿70.6K
$3,828 MX$72.4K
-43.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,543 ฿49.9K
$2,003 MX$37.9K
-22.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Puerto Vallarta
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$703 ฿22.8K
$1,012 MX$19.1K
-30.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
11.5
-56.52%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

Last update for Puerto Vallarta: October 29, 2025

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