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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,145 per month in Cozumel vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,350 per month in Cozumel vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,556 per month in Cozumel vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Cozumel costs about 32% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.61 MX$148

$1.98 ฿64.3

334.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.87 MX$736

$18.80 ฿612

128.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 MX$133

$7.75 ฿252

0.13%

Cappuccino

$3.06 MX$52.5

$1.92 ฿62.5

59.38%

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

$1.21 MX$20.76

$0.79 ฿25.79

53.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.37

$0.36 ฿11.62

197.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 MX$30.90

$2.21 ฿72.1

-18.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 MX$65.2

$3.66 ฿119

3.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.36

$1.65 ฿53.8

-17.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 MX$26.58

$1.63 ฿53.2

-4.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.82

$1.19 ฿38.86

26.05%

Eggs

$1.93 MX$33.21

$2.00 ฿65.1

-3.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.31 MX$177

$15.98 ฿520

-35.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.82 MX$117

$3.03 ฿98.5

125.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.19 MX$192

$10.86 ฿354

3.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 MX$40.29

$2.76 ฿90.0

-14.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MX$24.32

$1.18 ฿38.42

20.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.57

$1.64 ฿53.5

29.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$1.52 ฿49.51

-1.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 MX$36.06

$1.38 ฿45.10

52.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.96

$1.19 ฿38.84

61.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.43

$0.70 ฿22.86

52.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.09

$0.56 ฿18.13

67.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 MX$72.7

$4.58 ฿149

-7.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.35 MX$195

$16.56 ฿539

-31.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 MX$22.59

$1.83 ฿59.5

-27.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.50

$3.20 ฿104

-10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 MX$10.53

$0.88 ฿28.56

-30.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 MX$40.67

$1.36 ฿44.16

74.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$42.76

$1.34 ฿43.65

85.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.56 MX$113

$7.84 ฿256

-16.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.64

$1.23 ฿39.92

2.44%

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

$15.8K MX$271.2K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-26.93%

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

$21.1K MX$361.5K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-6.58%

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

$50.5 MX$867

$70.5 ฿2,298

-28.38%

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

$21.65 MX$372

$13.68 ฿445

58.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.87 MX$375

$17.45 ฿568

25.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.31 MX$623

$41.33 ฿1,346

-12.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.25 MX$365

$6.96 ฿227

205.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 MX$78.0

$5.77 ฿188

-21.32%

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

$394 MX$6,762

$307 ฿10.0K

28.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,540 MX$60.8K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-75.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 MX$956

$55.8 ฿1,817

-0.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.87 MX$822

$26.21 ฿854

82.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 MX$1,562

$85.8 ฿2,793

6.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 MX$1,467

$72.2 ฿2,353

18.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 MX$12.1K

$430 ฿14.0K

63.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,200

$239 ฿7,774

100.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,552 MX$26.6K

$817 ฿26.6K

89.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,013 MX$34.6K

$511 ฿16.6K

294.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,460 MX$25.1K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-26.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,864 MX$32.0K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

25.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$688 MX$11.8K

$619 ฿20.2K

11.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.68

133.60%

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

Last update for Cozumel: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $705 in Cozumel 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 11% higher in Cozumel, 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 $43.00 in Cozumel versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Cozumel vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Cozumel 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

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

Cozumel costs about 32% 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 $1,717 per month in Cozumel 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 $43.00 in Cozumel 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 1% cheaper in Cozumel – 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 Cozumel at $1,145. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cozumel it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,145 in Cozumel. 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, Cozumel makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.