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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,129 per month in Irapuato vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,819 per month in Irapuato vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,509 per month in Irapuato vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

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

Both Irapuato and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Irapuato 16% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.61 MX$199

$1.98 ฿64.3

486.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.8 MX$907

$18.80 ฿612

181.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 MX$170

$7.75 ฿252

27.87%

Cappuccino

$2.91 MX$49.98

$1.92 ฿62.5

51.56%

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

$1.29 MX$22.08

$0.79 ฿25.79

63.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.31

$0.36 ฿11.62

163.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 MX$45.80

$2.21 ฿72.1

20.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 MX$75.5

$3.66 ฿119

20.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.82

$1.65 ฿53.8

-1.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 MX$39.78

$1.63 ฿53.2

42.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 MX$26.09

$1.19 ฿38.86

27.73%

Eggs

$1.95 MX$33.49

$2.00 ฿65.1

-2.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.42 MX$162

$15.98 ฿520

-41.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.83 MX$152

$3.03 ฿98.5

191.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 MX$186

$10.86 ฿354

-0.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 MX$48.22

$2.76 ฿90.0

1.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 MX$27.43

$1.18 ฿38.42

35.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 MX$31.43

$1.64 ฿53.5

11.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.75

$1.52 ฿49.51

25.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$1.38 ฿45.10

52.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 MX$38.37

$1.19 ฿38.84

88.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 MX$21.72

$0.70 ฿22.86

81.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.85

$0.56 ฿18.13

64.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 MX$68.5

$4.58 ฿149

-12.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.17 MX$243

$16.56 ฿539

-14.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.64

$1.83 ฿59.5

-8.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 MX$60.4

$3.20 ฿104

10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 MX$10.04

$0.88 ฿28.56

-34.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 MX$13.17

$1.36 ฿44.16

-43.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.75

$1.34 ฿43.65

-79.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.45 MX$145

$7.84 ฿256

7.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.34

$1.23 ฿39.92

5.69%

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

$13.7K MX$235.6K

$21.6K ฿704.3K

-36.52%

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

$21.5K MX$369.3K

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-4.57%

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

$46.58 MX$800

$70.5 ฿2,298

-33.97%

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

$27.76 MX$476

$13.68 ฿445

102.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.37 MX$521

$17.45 ฿568

74.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.61 MX$611

$41.33 ฿1,346

-13.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.88 MX$273

$6.96 ฿227

128.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.75 MX$81.5

$5.77 ฿188

-17.68%

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

$216 MX$3,709

$307 ฿10.0K

-29.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,481 MX$59.7K

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-76.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 MX$994

$55.8 ฿1,817

3.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.96 MX$737

$26.21 ฿854

63.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.7 MX$1,694

$85.8 ฿2,793

15.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.6 MX$1,247

$72.2 ฿2,353

0.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$514 MX$8,825

$430 ฿14.0K

19.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 MX$6,763

$239 ฿7,774

65.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 MX$15.8K

$817 ฿26.6K

12.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$760 MX$13.1K

$511 ฿16.6K

48.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,809 MX$31.0K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-8.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,180 MX$20.3K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

-20.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$357 MX$6,136

$619 ฿20.2K

-42.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

130.00%

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

Last update for Irapuato: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $514 in Irapuato 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 73% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Irapuato versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $241 – 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

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

Irapuato 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 $1,693 per month in Irapuato 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 $53.0 in Irapuato and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Irapuato, 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 $869, than in Irapuato at $1,129. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Irapuato it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,129 in Irapuato. 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, Irapuato makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.