Cost of Living Comparison Between Oaxaca de Juarez and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Oaxaca de Juarez and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,047 per month in Oaxaca de Juarez vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,641 per month in Oaxaca de Juarez vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,236 per month in Oaxaca de Juarez vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Oaxaca de Juarez costs about 22% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.67 MX$99.5

$1.96 ฿65.9

189.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.18 MX$459

$18.35 ฿617

42.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.91 MX$139

$7.48 ฿252

5.75%

Cappuccino

$2.66 MX$46.73

$2.02 ฿67.8

31.68%

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

$1.20 MX$20.97

$0.85 ฿28.52

41.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 MX$11.92

$0.36 ฿11.97

88.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 MX$40.53

$2.14 ฿71.9

7.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 MX$62.0

$3.59 ฿121

-1.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$22.50

$1.65 ฿55.5

-22.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 MX$45.73

$1.57 ฿52.7

66.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 MX$18.79

$1.19 ฿40.05

-10.08%

Eggs

$1.60 MX$28.09

$1.94 ฿65.1

-17.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.38 MX$112

$16.19 ฿545

-60.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 MX$81.4

$2.99 ฿101

55.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.82 MX$190

$10.94 ฿368

-1.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 MX$36.97

$2.71 ฿91.2

-22.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 MX$20.71

$1.17 ฿39.27

0.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 MX$29.83

$1.69 ฿56.8

0.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 MX$9.10

$1.60 ฿54.0

-67.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.72

$1.38 ฿46.56

51.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 MX$32.16

$1.20 ฿40.47

52.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.10

$0.67 ฿22.51

53.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 MX$13.51

$0.56 ฿18.74

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 MX$72.1

$4.64 ฿156

-11.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.89 MX$174

$17.62 ฿593

-43.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.88

$1.86 ฿62.6

-26.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 MX$47.65

$3.30 ฿111

-17.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 MX$8.84

$0.88 ฿29.70

-43.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 MX$45.07

$1.36 ฿45.92

88.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.09

$1.34 ฿45.00

79.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.76 MX$189

$8.21 ฿276

31.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 MX$21.46

$1.22 ฿41.20

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

$22.2K MX$390.1K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

4.16%

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

$24.1K MX$422.4K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

6.89%

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

$66.3 MX$1,163

$70.7 ฿2,378

-6.16%

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

$10.52 MX$184

$14.04 ฿472

-25.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.78 MX$417

$17.49 ฿589

35.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.58 MX$554

$42.15 ฿1,418

-25.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.69 MX$275

$6.88 ฿231

128.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.19 MX$91.1

$5.92 ฿199

-12.33%

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

$369 MX$6,476

$309 ฿10.4K

19.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,653 MX$64.1K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-75.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.19 MX$670

$55.8 ฿1,876

-31.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.4 MX$1,060

$26.11 ฿879

131.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.3 MX$1,181

$83.0 ฿2,793

-18.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 MX$1,742

$70.5 ฿2,371

40.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 MX$10.3K

$432 ฿14.5K

35.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 MX$7,393

$239 ฿8,040

76.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,045 MX$18.3K

$822 ฿27.7K

27.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$856 MX$15.0K

$512 ฿17.2K

67.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.25

125.00%

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

Last update for Oaxaca de Juarez: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $585 in Oaxaca de Juarez versus $432 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Oaxaca de Juarez versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $207 in Oaxaca de Juarez vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Oaxaca de Juarez 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

Oaxaca de Juarez vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oaxaca de Juarez costs about 22% 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 $1,571 per month in Oaxaca de Juarez and $1,292 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 $26.00 in Oaxaca de Juarez and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Oaxaca de Juarez – 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 $861, than in Oaxaca de Juarez at $1,047. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Oaxaca de Juarez it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,047 in Oaxaca de Juarez. 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, Oaxaca de Juarez makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.