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 $1,085 per month in Piedras Negras vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,689 per month in Piedras Negras vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,293 per month in Piedras Negras vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Piedras Negras costs about 28% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Piedras Negras and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Piedras Negras 19% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.80 MX$135

$1.95 ฿62.8

300.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.96 MX$415

$18.43 ฿594

30.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 MX$138

$7.50 ฿241

6.53%

Cappuccino

$2.44 MX$42.36

$1.93 ฿62.3

26.42%

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

$1.32 MX$22.85

$0.78 ฿25.08

69.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 MX$11.72

$0.32 ฿10.42

112.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.34 MX$23.25

$2.15 ฿69.2

-37.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 MX$48.99

$3.71 ฿120

-23.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 MX$28.38

$1.71 ฿55.2

-4.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 MX$54.1

$1.56 ฿50.3

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MX$29.12

$1.18 ฿38.06

42.37%

Eggs

$3.50 MX$60.7

$1.98 ฿63.9

76.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.49 MX$164

$16.04 ฿517

-40.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 MX$78.3

$3.17 ฿102

42.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.98 MX$225

$10.94 ฿353

18.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.05

$2.63 ฿84.7

-1.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 MX$22.50

$1.17 ฿37.61

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.21

$1.65 ฿53.0

-1.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.28

$1.54 ฿49.51

39.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 MX$39.86

$1.38 ฿44.34

66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.56

$1.17 ฿37.54

60.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 MX$20.16

$0.66 ฿21.25

75.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.51

$0.51 ฿16.55

121.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.0

$4.52 ฿146

-9.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.06 MX$192

$18.32 ฿590

-39.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$26.69

$1.80 ฿57.9

-14.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MX$60.2

$3.18 ฿102

9.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 MX$16.88

$0.90 ฿28.97

7.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.39 MX$76.1

$1.41 ฿45.50

211.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 MX$26.95

$1.31 ฿42.15

19.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 MX$148

$8.09 ฿261

5.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 MX$21.54

$1.28 ฿41.08

-3.13%

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

$18.4K MX$318.3K

$21.3K ฿686.1K

-13.75%

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

$24.0K MX$415.6K

$21.7K ฿699.3K

10.50%

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

$57.0 MX$988

$69.2 ฿2,230

-17.59%

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

$17.16 MX$297

$13.97 ฿450

22.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.54 MX$443

$17.95 ฿578

42.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.99 MX$624

$42.31 ฿1,363

-14.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.65 MX$271

$6.66 ฿214

134.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 MX$81.4

$5.92 ฿191

-20.61%

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

$208 MX$3,596

$299 ฿9,640

-30.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,566 MX$61.8K

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-75.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.18 MX$783

$56.2 ฿1,810

-19.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.91 MX$692

$26.94 ฿868

48.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 MX$1,523

$84.9 ฿2,735

3.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.8 MX$1,228

$71.8 ฿2,314

-1.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 MX$8,754

$435 ฿14.0K

16.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 MX$6,925

$240 ฿7,727

66.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$925 MX$16.0K

$798 ฿25.7K

15.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 MX$13.0K

$498 ฿16.1K

50.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,961 MX$34.0K

$1,995 ฿64.3K

-1.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,290 MX$22.4K

$1,532 ฿49.4K

-15.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,710 MX$29.6K

$628 ฿20.2K

172.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

129.60%

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

Last update for Piedras Negras: April 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $505 in Piedras Negras versus $435 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 172% 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 $24 in Piedras Negras versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $262 vs $244 – 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 28% 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 $1,627 per month in Piedras Negras and $1,267 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 $24.00 in Piedras Negras and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% 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 $845, than in Piedras Negras at $1,085. 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 $845 versus $1,085 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.