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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,022 per month in Ensenada vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,603 per month in Ensenada vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,184 per month in Ensenada vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ensenada costs about 20% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ensenada and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ensenada 23% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.89 MX$190

$2.04 ฿68.4

433.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.65 MX$552

$18.71 ฿626

69.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.05 MX$123

$7.86 ฿263

-10.31%

Cappuccino

$2.89 MX$50.4

$2.03 ฿67.9

42.36%

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

$1.10 MX$19.21

$0.80 ฿26.71

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 MX$12.59

$0.35 ฿11.71

105.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 MX$45.76

$2.14 ฿71.7

22.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 MX$70.9

$3.67 ฿123

10.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.73 ฿57.8

-5.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 MX$44.07

$1.57 ฿52.5

61.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 MX$28.75

$1.20 ฿40.10

37.50%

Eggs

$2.72 MX$47.47

$1.97 ฿66.0

38.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.65 MX$133

$16.23 ฿543

-52.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 MX$86.2

$3.06 ฿102

61.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.66 MX$168

$10.80 ฿361

-10.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 MX$33.71

$2.77 ฿92.6

-30.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.08

$1.17 ฿39.05

23.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 MX$29.36

$1.71 ฿57.1

-1.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.98

$1.59 ฿53.3

-6.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 MX$29.41

$1.39 ฿46.63

21.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.38

$1.16 ฿38.67

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.45

$0.66 ฿22.11

60.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.43

$0.52 ฿17.35

80.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 MX$69.6

$4.65 ฿155

-14.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.84 MX$241

$17.78 ฿595

-22.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 MX$24.78

$1.79 ฿59.8

-20.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 MX$40.26

$3.34 ฿112

-30.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MX$13.55

$0.91 ฿30.35

-14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 MX$36.19

$1.41 ฿47.17

47.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 MX$26.94

$1.34 ฿44.82

14.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.8

$8.11 ฿271

-61.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 MX$21.75

$1.23 ฿41.27

1.63%

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

$21.1K MX$367.9K

$21.4K ฿717.0K

-1.60%

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

$20.6K MX$358.7K

$21.8K ฿730.0K

-5.76%

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

$56.0 MX$977

$71.3 ฿2,386

-21.44%

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

$20.42 MX$356

$14.01 ฿469

45.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.69 MX$483

$17.93 ฿600

54.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.4 MX$1,158

$40.82 ฿1,365

62.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.84 MX$276

$6.88 ฿230

130.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 MX$74.4

$5.72 ฿191

-25.52%

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

$188 MX$3,285

$308 ฿10.3K

-38.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,748 MX$47.9K

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-81.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.74 MX$745

$55.8 ฿1,865

-23.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 MX$612

$26.04 ฿871

34.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 MX$1,532

$84.8 ฿2,837

3.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.8 MX$990

$71.0 ฿2,375

-20.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 MX$8,939

$423 ฿14.2K

21.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 MX$6,070

$242 ฿8,110

43.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 MX$17.8K

$797 ฿26.7K

27.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$639 MX$11.1K

$507 ฿17.0K

26.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,429 MX$24.9K

$1,918 ฿64.2K

-25.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$708 MX$12.4K

$1,464 ฿49.0K

-51.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$697 MX$12.2K

$595 ฿19.9K

17.16%

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 Ensenada: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $513 in Ensenada versus $423 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 17% higher in Ensenada, 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 $32.00 in Ensenada versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $232 in Ensenada vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Ensenada 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

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

Ensenada costs about 20% 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 $1,532 per month in Ensenada and $1,279 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 $32.00 in Ensenada 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 5% cheaper in Ensenada – 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 $852, than in Ensenada at $1,022. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ensenada it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,022 in Ensenada. 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, Ensenada makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.