Cost of Living Comparison Between Piedras Negras and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Piedras Negras and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,220 per month in Piedras Negras vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,971 per month in Piedras Negras vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,722 per month in Piedras Negras vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Piedras Negras costs about 29% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Piedras Negras and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Piedras Negras 11% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.65 MX$197

$2.08 ฿68.5

460.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.04 MX$794

$19.64 ฿646

139.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.30 MX$157

$5.65 ฿186

64.60%

Cappuccino

$3.80 MX$64.1

$1.81 ฿59.3

109.94%

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

$1.50 MX$25.39

$0.71 ฿23.44

111.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 MX$19.21

$0.32 ฿10.38

256.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.86 MX$48.35

$2.24 ฿73.5

27.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 MX$75.5

$3.63 ฿119

23.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MX$29.00

$1.96 ฿64.4

-12.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 MX$46.82

$1.50 ฿49.38

84.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 MX$30.59

$1.34 ฿43.92

35.07%

Eggs

$2.60 MX$43.97

$2.26 ฿74.4

15.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.90 MX$150

$16.26 ฿534

-45.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.72 MX$147

$2.95 ฿97.1

195.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.47 MX$210

$9.94 ฿327

25.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 MX$49.98

$2.57 ฿84.5

15.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 MX$28.53

$1.06 ฿34.72

59.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.17

$1.61 ฿53.0

29.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.00

$1.52 ฿49.96

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$34.97

$1.27 ฿41.76

62.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.07

$1.07 ฿35.05

77.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 MX$24.76

$0.72 ฿23.67

104.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.40

$0.51 ฿16.72

125.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.76 MX$80.4

$4.19 ฿138

13.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.32 MX$191

$17.87 ฿587

-36.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 MX$32.91

$1.69 ฿55.7

15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 MX$58.1

$2.84 ฿93.2

21.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MX$12.31

$0.93 ฿30.42

-21.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 MX$46.61

$1.23 ฿40.58

124.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 MX$32.77

$0.58 ฿18.96

234.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.90 MX$201

$2.42 ฿79.7

391.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MX$24.60

$1.41 ฿46.42

3.55%

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

$22.9K MX$386.7K

$21.4K ฿704.9K

6.85%

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

$25.7K MX$433.4K

$27.3K ฿898.5K

-6.05%

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

$61.5 MX$1,038

$63.7 ฿2,093

-3.41%

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

$24.00 MX$405

$12.85 ฿423

86.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.51 MX$532

$20.22 ฿665

55.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.79 MX$621

$38.74 ฿1,274

-5.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.26 MX$359

$3.97 ฿130

435.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.67 MX$95.7

$6.74 ฿221

-15.88%

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

$248 MX$4,188

$778 ฿25.6K

-68.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,447 MX$75.1K

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-69.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 MX$995

$54.3 ฿1,785

8.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.76 MX$755

$25.45 ฿836

75.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 MX$1,846

$94.3 ฿3,101

15.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.6 MX$1,545

$73.4 ฿2,414

24.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 MX$11.1K

$490 ฿16.1K

34.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 MX$7,162

$289 ฿9,510

46.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 MX$18.7K

$894 ฿29.4K

23.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$822 MX$13.9K

$517 ฿17.0K

58.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,002 MX$33.8K

$1,955 ฿64.3K

2.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,255 MX$21.2K

$1,477 ฿48.5K

-15.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,793 MX$30.3K

$602 ฿19.8K

197.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.57

102.87%

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

Last update for Piedras Negras: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $661 in Piedras Negras versus $490 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 198% higher in Piedras Negras, 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 $47.00 in Piedras Negras versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $282 vs $240 – 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

Piedras Negras vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Piedras Negras costs about 29% 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 $1,830 per month in Piedras Negras and $1,421 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 $47.00 in Piedras Negras 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 17% more in Piedras Negras, 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 $947, than in Piedras Negras at $1,220. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Piedras Negras it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,220 in Piedras Negras. 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, Piedras Negras makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.