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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,012 per month in Cuernavaca vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,682 per month in Cuernavaca vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,352 per month in Cuernavaca vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Cuernavaca costs about 19% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cuernavaca and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Cuernavaca 24% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.51 MX$165

$1.96 ฿63.6

385.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.72 MX$656

$18.81 ฿611

100.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.03 MX$122

$7.92 ฿258

-11.24%

Cappuccino

$2.32 MX$40.34

$1.91 ฿62.2

21.47%

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

$1.26 MX$21.93

$0.84 ฿27.25

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 MX$13.45

$0.35 ฿11.44

120.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 MX$38.02

$2.21 ฿71.7

-0.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 MX$56.0

$3.80 ฿124

-15.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 MX$27.06

$1.64 ฿53.2

-4.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 MX$30.87

$1.62 ฿52.8

9.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 MX$23.12

$1.18 ฿38.40

12.71%

Eggs

$1.89 MX$32.87

$2.01 ฿65.4

-5.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$15.89 ฿517

-48.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 MX$109

$3.01 ฿98.0

107.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.99 MX$226

$10.77 ฿350

20.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 MX$36.50

$2.61 ฿85.0

-19.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.22 ฿39.65

7.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.76

$1.70 ฿55.4

0.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.99

$1.58 ฿51.2

-1.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 MX$30.69

$1.32 ฿42.89

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.27

$1.17 ฿38.01

63.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 MX$17.19

$0.67 ฿21.85

47.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 MX$12.32

$0.56 ฿18.21

26.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$72.5

$4.53 ฿147

-8.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.56 MX$149

$18.20 ฿592

-52.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.99

$1.83 ฿59.6

-37.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 MX$51.2

$3.23 ฿105

-8.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.03

$0.89 ฿28.83

-41.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.90 MX$468

$19.38 ฿630

38.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 MX$32.48

$1.35 ฿43.95

38.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 MX$20.69

$1.35 ฿43.79

-11.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.06 MX$158

$8.25 ฿268

9.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.47

$1.27 ฿41.40

1.57%

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

$18.5K MX$321.7K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

-12.60%

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

$20.6K MX$358.5K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

-8.36%

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

$60.2 MX$1,047

$70.2 ฿2,281

-14.18%

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

$22.63 MX$394

$13.77 ฿448

64.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.78 MX$483

$17.60 ฿572

57.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.94 MX$399

$41.57 ฿1,352

-44.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.76 MX$274

$6.60 ฿215

138.79%

Cinema Ticket

$5.34 MX$93.0

$5.78 ฿188

-7.61%

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

$214 MX$3,728

$306 ฿9,953

-30.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,891 MX$85.1K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-67.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.02 MX$836

$54.4 ฿1,768

-11.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.62 MX$689

$26.14 ฿850

51.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MX$1,758

$84.5 ฿2,748

19.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.3 MX$1,467

$69.4 ฿2,257

21.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 MX$6,459

$424 ฿13.8K

-12.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$318 MX$5,541

$238 ฿7,743

33.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 MX$15.8K

$825 ฿26.8K

10.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$772 MX$13.4K

$515 ฿16.7K

49.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$928 MX$16.1K

$2,049 ฿66.6K

-54.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$635 MX$11.0K

$1,523 ฿49.5K

-58.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$683 MX$11.9K

$635 ฿20.6K

7.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

126.60%

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

Last update for Cuernavaca: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $371 in Cuernavaca 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 7% higher in Cuernavaca, 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 $38.00 in Cuernavaca versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $225 in Cuernavaca vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Cuernavaca 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

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

Cuernavaca costs about 19% 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 $1,517 per month in Cuernavaca 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 $214 per month in Cuernavaca and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Cuernavaca – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,012 in Cuernavaca and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,012 in Cuernavaca. 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, Cuernavaca makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.