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 $1,046 per month in Ensenada vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Ensenada vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,152 per month in Ensenada vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ensenada costs about 23% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ensenada and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ensenada 22% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.77 MX$187

$1.96 ฿63.6

449.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.06 MX$558

$18.81 ฿611

70.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.06 MX$123

$7.92 ฿258

-10.86%

Cappuccino

$3.04 MX$52.9

$1.91 ฿62.2

59.16%

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

$1.10 MX$19.19

$0.84 ฿27.25

30.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 MX$11.52

$0.35 ฿11.44

88.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 MX$45.01

$2.21 ฿71.7

17.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 MX$70.2

$3.80 ฿124

6.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 MX$27.39

$1.64 ฿53.2

-4.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 MX$44.71

$1.62 ฿52.8

58.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 MX$28.90

$1.18 ฿38.40

40.68%

Eggs

$2.86 MX$49.73

$2.01 ฿65.4

42.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 MX$131

$15.89 ฿517

-52.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.04 MX$87.6

$3.01 ฿98.0

67.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.25 MX$161

$10.77 ฿350

-14.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 MX$33.64

$2.61 ฿85.0

-26.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.12

$1.22 ฿39.65

18.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 MX$28.24

$1.70 ฿55.4

-4.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.10

$1.58 ฿51.2

-1.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.62

$1.32 ฿42.89

24.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.27

$1.17 ฿38.01

48.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 MX$19.05

$0.67 ฿21.85

64.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 MX$17.22

$0.56 ฿18.21

76.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 MX$70.7

$4.53 ฿147

-10.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.68 MX$151

$18.20 ฿592

-52.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 MX$25.68

$1.83 ฿59.6

-19.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 MX$41.04

$3.23 ฿105

-26.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 MX$14.16

$0.89 ฿28.83

-8.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.54

$1.35 ฿43.95

55.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 MX$26.77

$1.35 ฿43.79

14.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.9

$8.25 ฿268

-62.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.56

$1.27 ฿41.40

2.36%

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

$21.1K MX$366.9K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

-0.34%

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

$20.2K MX$352.1K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

-10.00%

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

$57.4 MX$999

$70.2 ฿2,281

-18.15%

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

$19.80 MX$345

$13.77 ฿448

43.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.13 MX$489

$17.60 ฿572

59.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.3 MX$1,136

$41.57 ฿1,352

57.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.10 MX$280

$6.60 ฿215

143.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.23 MX$73.6

$5.78 ฿188

-26.82%

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

$188 MX$3,277

$306 ฿9,953

-38.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,719 MX$47.3K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-81.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.15 MX$733

$54.4 ฿1,768

-22.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.35 MX$598

$26.14 ฿850

31.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 MX$1,499

$84.5 ฿2,748

1.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.7 MX$969

$69.4 ฿2,257

-19.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 MX$8,648

$424 ฿13.8K

17.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 MX$5,962

$238 ฿7,743

43.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 MX$17.7K

$825 ฿26.8K

23.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$644 MX$11.2K

$515 ฿16.7K

25.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,392 MX$24.2K

$2,049 ฿66.6K

-32.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$707 MX$12.3K

$1,523 ฿49.5K

-53.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$697 MX$12.1K

$635 ฿20.6K

9.67%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $497 in Ensenada 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 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 $32.00 in Ensenada versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $222 in Ensenada vs $243 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 23% 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 $1,569 per month in Ensenada 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.

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 10% 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 $1,046. 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 $1,046 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.