Cost of Living Comparison Between Cholula and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Cholula and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,021 per month in Cholula vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,575 per month in Cholula vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,129 per month in Cholula vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Cholula costs about 17% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cholula and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Cholula 24% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$206

$1.98 ฿64.3

505.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.85 MX$787

$18.80 ฿612

143.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 MX$140

$7.75 ฿252

5.29%

Cappuccino

$3.64 MX$62.5

$1.92 ฿62.5

89.58%

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

$1.18 MX$20.21

$0.79 ฿25.79

49.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.71

$0.36 ฿11.62

155.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 MX$41.15

$2.21 ฿72.1

8.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 MX$71.5

$3.66 ฿119

13.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.32

$1.65 ฿53.8

-13.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 MX$43.76

$1.63 ฿53.2

56.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 MX$26.49

$1.19 ฿38.86

29.41%

Eggs

$2.42 MX$41.48

$2.00 ฿65.1

21.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.11 MX$122

$15.98 ฿520

-55.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.50 MX$111

$3.03 ฿98.5

114.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$186

$10.86 ฿354

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 MX$43.21

$2.76 ฿90.0

-8.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MX$23.58

$1.18 ฿38.42

16.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.14

$1.64 ฿53.5

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.37

$1.52 ฿49.51

16.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 MX$29.15

$1.38 ฿45.10

23.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 MX$31.43

$1.19 ฿38.84

53.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 MX$21.64

$0.70 ฿22.86

80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 MX$18.96

$0.56 ฿18.13

96.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MX$73.8

$4.58 ฿149

-6.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 MX$243

$16.56 ฿539

-14.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 MX$22.29

$1.83 ฿59.5

-28.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 MX$48.88

$3.20 ฿104

-10.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 MX$10.54

$0.88 ฿28.56

-30.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.36 MX$281

$18.72 ฿610

-12.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$55.8

$1.36 ฿44.16

138.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 MX$21.35

$1.34 ฿43.65

-7.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.45 MX$179

$7.84 ฿256

33.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.56

$1.23 ฿39.92

2.44%

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

$20.2K MX$346.4K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-6.65%

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

$20.6K MX$354.3K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-8.46%

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

$62.9 MX$1,080

$70.5 ฿2,298

-10.83%

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

$22.37 MX$384

$13.68 ฿445

63.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.48 MX$437

$17.45 ฿568

46.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.39 MX$607

$41.33 ฿1,346

-14.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.73 MX$270

$6.96 ฿227

126.01%

Cinema Ticket

$5.27 MX$90.5

$5.77 ฿188

-8.67%

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

$319 MX$5,478

$307 ฿10.0K

3.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,546 MX$60.9K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-75.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 MX$877

$55.8 ฿1,817

-8.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.73 MX$733

$26.21 ฿854

63.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,915

$85.8 ฿2,793

30.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.7 MX$1,712

$72.2 ฿2,353

38.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 MX$6,270

$430 ฿14.0K

-15.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 MX$4,359

$239 ฿7,774

6.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 MX$8,774

$817 ฿26.6K

-37.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 MX$6,473

$511 ฿16.6K

-26.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,940 MX$33.3K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-2.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,240 MX$21.3K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-16.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$853 MX$14.6K

$619 ฿20.2K

37.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.25

125.00%

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

Last update for Cholula: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $365 in Cholula versus $430 in Chiang Mai. 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 38% higher in Cholula, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Cholula versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $241 – 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

Cholula vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cholula costs about 17% 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 $1,531 per month in Cholula and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. 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.

Kindergarten costs $319 per month in Cholula and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Cholula, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,021 in Cholula and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,021 in Cholula. 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, Cholula makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.