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 $998 per month in Cholula vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,578 per month in Cholula vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,158 per month in Cholula vs $1,857 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 25% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.39 MX$216

$1.96 ฿63.6

532.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 MX$815

$18.81 ฿611

149.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 MX$135

$7.92 ฿258

-1.77%

Cappuccino

$3.67 MX$63.9

$1.91 ฿62.2

92.15%

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

$1.19 MX$20.77

$0.84 ฿27.25

41.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.99

$0.35 ฿11.44

162.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 MX$40.68

$2.21 ฿71.7

5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 MX$75.0

$3.80 ฿124

13.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.64 ฿53.2

-8.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 MX$46.61

$1.62 ฿52.8

65.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.35

$1.18 ฿38.40

33.05%

Eggs

$2.41 MX$41.92

$2.01 ฿65.4

19.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.98 MX$121

$15.89 ฿517

-56.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.34 MX$110

$3.01 ฿98.0

110.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.13 MX$194

$10.77 ฿350

3.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 MX$43.18

$2.61 ฿85.0

-4.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 MX$24.53

$1.22 ฿39.65

15.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.90

$1.70 ฿55.4

1.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.04

$1.58 ฿51.2

12.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.20

$1.32 ฿42.89

31.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.91

$1.17 ฿38.01

61.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 MX$22.19

$0.67 ฿21.85

91.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 MX$19.10

$0.56 ฿18.21

96.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MX$74.9

$4.53 ฿147

-4.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.60 MX$254

$18.20 ฿592

-19.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 MX$22.76

$1.83 ฿59.6

-28.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 MX$48.93

$3.23 ฿105

-13.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 MX$11.20

$0.89 ฿28.83

-28.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.99 MX$278

$19.38 ฿630

-17.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$1.35 ฿43.95

128.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 MX$21.43

$1.35 ฿43.79

-8.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.54 MX$183

$8.25 ฿268

27.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.82

$1.27 ฿41.40

3.15%

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

$19.7K MX$342.9K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

-6.86%

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

$20.3K MX$353.3K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

-9.71%

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

$63.3 MX$1,102

$70.2 ฿2,281

-9.72%

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

$22.29 MX$388

$13.77 ฿448

61.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.16 MX$438

$17.60 ฿572

42.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.58 MX$637

$41.57 ฿1,352

-12.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.78 MX$275

$6.60 ฿215

139.09%

Cinema Ticket

$5.37 MX$93.4

$5.78 ฿188

-7.09%

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

$315 MX$5,477

$306 ฿9,953

2.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,565 MX$62.0K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-75.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.0 MX$871

$54.4 ฿1,768

-7.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.68 MX$743

$26.14 ฿850

63.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 MX$1,884

$84.5 ฿2,748

28.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 MX$1,736

$69.4 ฿2,257

43.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 MX$6,571

$424 ฿13.8K

-10.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 MX$4,441

$238 ฿7,743

7.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 MX$9,045

$825 ฿26.8K

-36.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 MX$6,801

$515 ฿16.7K

-24.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,972 MX$34.3K

$2,049 ฿66.6K

-3.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,263 MX$22.0K

$1,523 ฿49.5K

-17.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$865 MX$15.0K

$635 ฿20.6K

36.14%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $378 in Cholula versus $424 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 36% 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 $47.00 in Cholula versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $243 – 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 $1,497 per month in Cholula and $1,278 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 $315 per month in Cholula and $306 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Cholula at $998. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cholula it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $998 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.