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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,276 per month in Queretaro vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,010 per month in Queretaro vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,744 per month in Queretaro vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Queretaro costs about 47% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Queretaro and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Queretaro 5% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.85 MX$170

$1.94 ฿63.5

407.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.14 MX$798

$18.64 ฿609

147.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 MX$139

$7.82 ฿255

2.94%

Cappuccino

$3.60 MX$62.3

$1.95 ฿63.8

84.62%

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

$1.31 MX$22.59

$0.85 ฿27.77

54.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.51

$0.35 ฿11.58

171.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 MX$40.25

$2.13 ฿69.6

9.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 MX$74.4

$3.73 ฿122

15.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.72

$1.71 ฿56.0

-9.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 MX$46.28

$1.63 ฿53.2

64.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 MX$33.74

$1.14 ฿37.15

71.05%

Eggs

$2.37 MX$41.00

$1.93 ฿63.1

22.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 MX$140

$16.21 ฿530

-50.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.79 MX$169

$3.12 ฿102

213.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$10.90 ฿356

17.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$2.75 ฿90.0

30.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.31

$1.21 ฿39.52

20.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.62 ฿53.0

17.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.87

$1.59 ฿51.8

11.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.84

$1.40 ฿45.70

27.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.51

$1.17 ฿38.17

60.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 MX$21.60

$0.66 ฿21.60

89.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 MX$19.76

$0.53 ฿17.22

115.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 MX$73.4

$4.69 ฿153

-9.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.05 MX$295

$18.66 ฿609

-8.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 MX$34.45

$1.80 ฿58.8

10.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 MX$57.2

$3.23 ฿106

2.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.32

$0.90 ฿29.26

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.90 MX$413

$19.21 ฿628

24.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.2

$1.41 ฿45.91

121.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 MX$21.36

$1.29 ฿42.12

-3.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.39 MX$162

$7.84 ฿256

19.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.66

$1.27 ฿41.58

3.15%

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

$20.0K MX$345.2K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-6.22%

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

$20.6K MX$356.5K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

-7.22%

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

$63.4 MX$1,097

$69.1 ฿2,256

-8.18%

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

$24.19 MX$418

$14.08 ฿460

71.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.06 MX$485

$18.00 ฿588

55.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.09 MX$849

$41.06 ฿1,341

19.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$454

$6.96 ฿227

276.87%

Cinema Ticket

$6.07 MX$105

$5.92 ฿193

2.53%

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

$319 MX$5,526

$299 ฿9,766

6.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,824 MX$83.4K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-67.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.4 MX$889

$54.7 ฿1,787

-6.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.09 MX$728

$26.77 ฿874

57.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 MX$1,722

$85.0 ฿2,776

17.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 MX$1,658

$70.6 ฿2,306

35.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$633 MX$10.9K

$428 ฿14.0K

47.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 MX$8,599

$237 ฿7,752

109.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 MX$20.6K

$801 ฿26.2K

48.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$792 MX$13.7K

$515 ฿16.8K

53.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,333 MX$40.4K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

18.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,347 MX$23.3K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-8.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$924 MX$16.0K

$617 ฿20.2K

49.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

131.00%

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

Last update for Queretaro: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $633 in Queretaro versus $428 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 50% higher in Queretaro, 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 $46.00 in Queretaro versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $246 – 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

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

Queretaro costs about 47% 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 $1,913 per month in Queretaro and $1,300 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.

Kindergarten costs $319 per month in Queretaro and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Queretaro, 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 $866, than in Queretaro at $1,276. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Queretaro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,276 in Queretaro. 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, Queretaro makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.