Cost of Living Comparison Between Ciudad Obregon and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Ciudad Obregon and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,058 per month in Ciudad Obregon vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,660 per month in Ciudad Obregon vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,263 per month in Ciudad Obregon vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ciudad Obregon costs about 22% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ciudad Obregon and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ciudad Obregon 21% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.53 MX$181

$1.98 ฿64.3

431.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.88 MX$599

$18.80 ฿612

85.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 MX$117

$7.75 ฿252

-12.13%

Cappuccino

$2.24 MX$38.44

$1.92 ฿62.5

16.67%

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

$0.74 MX$12.63

$0.79 ฿25.79

-6.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 MX$9.15

$0.36 ฿11.62

47.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 MX$22.83

$2.21 ฿72.1

-39.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 MX$31.56

$3.66 ฿119

-49.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 MX$28.23

$1.65 ฿53.8

-0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 MX$35.18

$1.63 ฿53.2

25.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 MX$24.47

$1.19 ฿38.86

20.17%

Eggs

$2.21 MX$38.00

$2.00 ฿65.1

10.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.95 MX$85.0

$15.98 ฿520

-69.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.18 MX$89.0

$3.03 ฿98.5

70.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 MX$160

$10.86 ฿354

-14.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.43

$2.76 ฿90.0

-38.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MX$30.27

$1.18 ฿38.42

49.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.64 ฿53.5

1.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.93

$1.52 ฿49.51

3.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 MX$29.93

$1.38 ฿45.10

26.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 MX$29.84

$1.19 ฿38.84

46.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.71

$0.70 ฿22.86

47.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 MX$24.45

$0.56 ฿18.13

153.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 MX$66.9

$4.58 ฿149

-14.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.51 MX$180

$16.56 ฿539

-36.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 MX$33.30

$1.83 ฿59.5

6.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 MX$46.12

$3.20 ฿104

-15.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MX$11.24

$0.88 ฿28.56

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 MX$26.77

$1.36 ฿44.16

14.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 MX$27.42

$1.34 ฿43.65

19.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.16 MX$140

$7.84 ฿256

4.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.58

$1.23 ฿39.92

2.44%

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

$16.9K MX$290.9K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-21.61%

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

$23.2K MX$397.8K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

2.79%

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

$102 MX$1,746

$70.5 ฿2,298

44.20%

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

$22.52 MX$387

$13.68 ฿445

64.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.64 MX$457

$17.45 ฿568

52.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.31 MX$623

$41.33 ฿1,346

-12.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.71 MX$270

$6.96 ฿227

125.72%

Cinema Ticket

$3.59 MX$61.6

$5.77 ฿188

-37.78%

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

$285 MX$4,898

$307 ฿10.0K

-7.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,709 MX$80.8K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-67.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.12 MX$723

$55.8 ฿1,817

-24.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.32 MX$538

$26.21 ฿854

19.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 MX$1,102

$85.8 ฿2,793

-25.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.5 MX$1,091

$72.2 ฿2,353

-12.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 MX$8,781

$430 ฿14.0K

19.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,741

$239 ฿7,774

64.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.3K

$817 ฿26.6K

15.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$772 MX$13.3K

$511 ฿16.6K

51.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 MX$34.0K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-0.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,233 MX$21.2K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-16.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,224 MX$21.0K

$619 ฿20.2K

97.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

130.00%

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

Last update for Ciudad Obregon: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $512 in Ciudad Obregon 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 98% higher in Ciudad Obregon, 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 $35.00 in Ciudad Obregon versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $220 in Ciudad Obregon vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Ciudad Obregon 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

Ciudad Obregon vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ciudad Obregon 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 $1,587 per month in Ciudad Obregon 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Ciudad Obregon and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Ciudad Obregon – 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 $869, than in Ciudad Obregon at $1,058. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ciudad Obregon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,058 in Ciudad Obregon. 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, Ciudad Obregon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.