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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,101 per month in Cuajimalpa vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,769 per month in Cuajimalpa vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,438 per month in Cuajimalpa vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Cuajimalpa costs about 30% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cuajimalpa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Cuajimalpa 18% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.61 MX$184

$1.95 ฿62.8

444.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.25 MX$680

$18.43 ฿594

112.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 MX$139

$7.50 ฿241

6.67%

Cappuccino

$3.21 MX$55.6

$1.93 ฿62.3

66.32%

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

$1.27 MX$22.04

$0.78 ฿25.08

62.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.72

$0.32 ฿10.42

203.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 MX$41.50

$2.15 ฿69.2

11.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 MX$68.7

$3.71 ฿120

7.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 MX$26.03

$1.71 ฿55.2

-12.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 MX$43.65

$1.56 ฿50.3

61.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.26

$1.18 ฿38.06

38.14%

Eggs

$2.32 MX$40.16

$1.98 ฿63.9

17.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.93 MX$138

$16.04 ฿517

-50.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.85 MX$136

$3.17 ฿102

147.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.38 MX$180

$10.94 ฿353

-5.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.25

$2.63 ฿84.7

-0.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MX$25.18

$1.17 ฿37.61

23.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.22

$1.65 ฿53.0

9.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 MX$27.76

$1.54 ฿49.51

3.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 MX$33.53

$1.38 ฿44.34

39.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.96

$1.17 ฿37.54

72.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 MX$21.72

$0.66 ฿21.25

89.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 MX$17.59

$0.51 ฿16.55

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MX$70.3

$4.52 ฿146

-10.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.82 MX$188

$18.32 ฿590

-40.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 MX$27.15

$1.80 ฿57.9

-12.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.98

$3.18 ฿102

-12.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 MX$11.33

$0.90 ฿28.97

-27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 MX$46.00

$1.41 ฿45.50

87.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 MX$27.72

$1.31 ฿42.15

22.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 MX$147

$8.09 ฿261

5.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.98

$1.28 ฿41.08

-0.78%

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

$21.0K MX$364.0K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

-1.36%

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

$22.3K MX$386.0K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

2.61%

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

$56.2 MX$974

$69.2 ฿2,230

-18.80%

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

$22.32 MX$387

$13.97 ฿450

59.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.00 MX$485

$17.95 ฿578

55.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.86 MX$621

$42.31 ฿1,363

-15.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.14 MX$280

$6.66 ฿214

142.34%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 MX$81.5

$5.92 ฿191

-20.61%

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

$208 MX$3,600

$299 ฿9,640

-30.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,536 MX$61.3K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-76.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 MX$934

$56.2 ฿1,810

-4.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.27 MX$680

$26.94 ฿868

45.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.3 MX$1,583

$84.9 ฿2,735

7.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 MX$1,363

$71.8 ฿2,314

9.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 MX$8,688

$435 ฿14.0K

15.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 MX$6,741

$240 ฿7,727

62.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$931 MX$16.1K

$798 ฿25.7K

16.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 MX$13.2K

$498 ฿16.1K

52.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,851 MX$32.1K

$1,995 ฿64.3K

-7.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,343 MX$23.3K

$1,532 ฿49.4K

-12.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

129.60%

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

Last update for Cuajimalpa: April 19, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $501 in Cuajimalpa versus $435 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39 in Cuajimalpa versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $244 – 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

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

Cuajimalpa costs about 30% 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 $1,651 per month in Cuajimalpa and $1,267 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 $39.00 in Cuajimalpa and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Cuajimalpa, 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 $845, than in Cuajimalpa at $1,101. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cuajimalpa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $1,101 in Cuajimalpa. 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, Cuajimalpa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.