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 $1,032 per month in Ensenada vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,598 per month in Ensenada vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,164 per month in Ensenada vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ensenada costs about 19% 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.97 MX$188

$1.98 ฿64.3

454.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.15 MX$535

$18.80 ฿612

65.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 MX$126

$7.75 ฿252

-5.55%

Cappuccino

$3.00 MX$51.6

$1.92 ฿62.5

56.25%

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

$1.14 MX$19.62

$0.79 ฿25.79

44.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 MX$12.07

$0.36 ฿11.62

94.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 MX$45.81

$2.21 ฿72.1

20.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 MX$67.5

$3.66 ฿119

7.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 MX$28.42

$1.65 ฿53.8

0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 MX$42.51

$1.63 ฿53.2

52.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 MX$29.16

$1.19 ฿38.86

42.86%

Eggs

$2.75 MX$47.23

$2.00 ฿65.1

37.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.31 MX$125

$15.98 ฿520

-54.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.03 MX$86.4

$3.03 ฿98.5

66.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 MX$165

$10.86 ฿354

-11.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 MX$33.29

$2.76 ฿90.0

-29.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 MX$26.01

$1.18 ฿38.42

28.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 MX$27.99

$1.64 ฿53.5

-0.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.82

$1.52 ฿49.51

2.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 MX$28.79

$1.38 ฿45.10

21.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 MX$30.85

$1.19 ฿38.84

51.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 MX$18.01

$0.70 ฿22.86

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 MX$17.45

$0.56 ฿18.13

82.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.88 MX$66.5

$4.58 ฿149

-15.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.69 MX$149

$16.56 ฿539

-47.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 MX$25.27

$1.83 ฿59.5

-19.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 MX$40.14

$3.20 ฿104

-26.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MX$13.37

$0.88 ฿28.56

-11.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 MX$36.75

$1.36 ฿44.16

57.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 MX$27.64

$1.34 ฿43.65

20.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$55.9

$7.84 ฿256

-58.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.83

$1.23 ฿39.92

3.25%

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

$20.7K MX$356.0K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-4.07%

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

$20.4K MX$349.8K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-9.60%

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

$56.1 MX$964

$70.5 ฿2,298

-20.41%

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

$19.77 MX$339

$13.68 ฿445

44.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.15 MX$483

$17.45 ฿568

61.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.9 MX$1,131

$41.33 ฿1,346

59.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.01 MX$275

$6.96 ฿227

130.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.22 MX$72.4

$5.77 ฿188

-26.86%

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

$185 MX$3,169

$307 ฿10.0K

-39.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,774 MX$47.6K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-81.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.66 MX$749

$55.8 ฿1,817

-21.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.94 MX$600

$26.21 ฿854

33.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 MX$1,521

$85.8 ฿2,793

3.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.0 MX$978

$72.2 ฿2,353

-21.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 MX$8,684

$430 ฿14.0K

17.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 MX$5,812

$239 ฿7,774

41.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,029 MX$17.7K

$817 ฿26.6K

25.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 MX$10.8K

$511 ฿16.6K

23.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,422 MX$24.4K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-28.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$729 MX$12.5K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-50.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 MX$11.6K

$619 ฿20.2K

9.58%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $506 in Ensenada 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 10% 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 $31.00 in Ensenada versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $223 in Ensenada vs $241 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 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 $1,548 per month in Ensenada 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 $31.00 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 8% 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 $869, than in Ensenada at $1,032. 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 $869 versus $1,032 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.