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 $1,294 per month in Queretaro vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,993 per month in Queretaro vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,692 per month in Queretaro vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Queretaro costs about 50% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Queretaro and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Queretaro 3% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.43 MX$165

$1.96 ฿65.7

381.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.49 MX$795

$18.35 ฿616

147.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.73 MX$135

$7.48 ฿251

3.34%

Cappuccino

$3.53 MX$61.7

$2.02 ฿67.7

74.75%

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

$1.31 MX$22.95

$0.85 ฿28.45

54.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 MX$16.78

$0.36 ฿11.94

166.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 MX$41.91

$2.14 ฿71.7

12.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 MX$74.8

$3.59 ฿121

19.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$28.09

$1.65 ฿55.4

-2.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 MX$45.55

$1.57 ฿52.6

66.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 MX$33.76

$1.19 ฿39.95

62.18%

Eggs

$2.32 MX$40.64

$1.94 ฿65.0

19.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$148

$16.19 ฿544

-47.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.42 MX$165

$2.99 ฿100

215.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.11 MX$229

$10.94 ฿367

19.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.58 MX$62.6

$2.71 ฿91.0

32.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.48

$1.17 ฿39.18

24.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.28

$1.69 ฿56.6

12.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.88

$1.60 ฿53.9

6.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 MX$30.23

$1.38 ฿46.45

25.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 MX$32.11

$1.20 ฿40.38

53.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 MX$22.77

$0.67 ฿22.46

94.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 MX$19.94

$0.56 ฿18.70

103.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.4

$4.64 ฿156

-9.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.06 MX$298

$17.62 ฿591

-3.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 MX$33.93

$1.86 ฿62.4

4.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 MX$57.0

$3.30 ฿111

-1.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.67

$0.88 ฿29.63

-37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.65 MX$414

$19.34 ฿649

22.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.9

$1.36 ฿45.82

139.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 MX$21.60

$1.34 ฿44.90

-7.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.30 MX$163

$8.21 ฿276

13.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.98

$1.22 ฿41.11

3.28%

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

$19.7K MX$344.8K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

-7.64%

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

$20.5K MX$358.8K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

-8.92%

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

$62.5 MX$1,093

$70.7 ฿2,372

-11.57%

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

$23.75 MX$415

$14.04 ฿471

69.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.25 MX$494

$17.49 ฿587

61.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 MX$875

$42.15 ฿1,415

18.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.33 MX$460

$6.88 ฿231

282.70%

Cinema Ticket

$6.12 MX$107

$5.92 ฿199

3.38%

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

$314 MX$5,483

$309 ฿10.4K

1.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,841 MX$84.7K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-67.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 MX$889

$55.8 ฿1,872

-8.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.93 MX$733

$26.11 ฿877

60.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 MX$1,720

$83.0 ฿2,787

18.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.4 MX$1,720

$70.5 ฿2,365

39.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 MX$11.4K

$432 ฿14.5K

51.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 MX$8,578

$239 ฿8,020

105.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,200 MX$21.0K

$822 ฿27.6K

45.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$810 MX$14.2K

$512 ฿17.2K

58.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,327 MX$40.7K

$1,915 ฿64.3K

21.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,318 MX$23.0K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-10.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$914 MX$16.0K

$579 ฿19.4K

57.75%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $654 in Queretaro 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.

Salaries run about 58% 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 $45.00 in Queretaro versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $243 – 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 50% 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 $1,941 per month in Queretaro 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.

Kindergarten costs $314 per month in Queretaro and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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 $861, than in Queretaro at $1,294. 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 $861 versus $1,294 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.