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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,295 per month in Mayaguez vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,975 per month in Mayaguez vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,655 per month in Mayaguez vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Mayaguez costs about 39% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mayaguez and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Mayaguez 5% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 $12.96

$2.08 ฿69.5

523.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.1 $67.1

$19.61 ฿655

242.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.15 $9.15

$5.67 ฿189

61.38%

Cappuccino

$3.57 $3.57

$1.81 ฿60.3

97.24%

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

$1.23 $1.23

$0.77 ฿25.65

59.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.35 ฿11.53

220.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.21 ฿73.9

39.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 $4.35

$3.79 ฿127

14.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.05 ฿68.4

8.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.67 $3.67

$1.51 ฿50.6

143.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.40 ฿46.69

73.57%

Eggs

$7.62 $7.62

$2.26 ฿75.4

237.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.46 $12.46

$16.19 ฿540

-23.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.51 $9.51

$2.90 ฿96.7

227.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.23 $13.23

$9.42 ฿314

40.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.05 $5.05

$2.68 ฿89.4

88.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.09 ฿36.37

142.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$1.62 ฿54.0

196.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$1.46 ฿48.74

219.86%

Potato (1kg)

$3.76 $3.76

$1.28 ฿42.65

193.75%

Onion (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$1.06 ฿35.31

266.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.44 $3.44

$0.72 ฿23.94

377.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$0.53 ฿17.56

201.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.11 $12.11

$4.23 ฿141

186.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.78 $15.78

$18.29 ฿611

-13.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.63 ฿54.4

86.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.90 ฿96.8

40.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.17 ฿39.14

109.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 $1.47

$0.58 ฿19.30

153.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.71 $42.71

$2.39 ฿79.6

1687.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.45 ฿48.41

-35.86%

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

$40.5K $40.5K

$21.0K ฿701.4K

92.65%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$26.4K ฿882.0K

3.97%

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

$325 $325

$63.7 ฿2,125

411.33%

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

$68.0 $68.0

$12.89 ฿430

427.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.0 $69.0

$20.52 ฿685

236.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.56 $27.56

$39.02 ฿1,302

-29.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$10.48 $10.48

$6.58 ฿220

59.27%

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

$819 $819

$784 ฿26.2K

4.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K $12.3K

$14.7K ฿489.8K

-15.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 $55.3

$55.1 ฿1,840

0.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.6 $60.6

$24.74 ฿826

144.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 $109

$94.1 ฿3,142

15.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$74.0 ฿2,469

52.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

5.57

17.59%

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

Last update for Mayaguez: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Mayaguez versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $414 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

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

Mayaguez costs about 39% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,942 per month in Mayaguez and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Mayaguez and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 72% more in Mayaguez, 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 $932, than in Mayaguez at $1,295. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mayaguez it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,295 in Mayaguez. 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, Mayaguez makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.