Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Playa del Carmen 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Playa del Carmen is 45.6% higher than in Chiang Mai (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Playa del Carmen is 58.6% higher than in Chiang Mai | |
| Rent Prices in Playa del Carmen are 107.0% higher than in Chiang Mai | |
| Restaurant Prices in Playa del Carmen are 150.1% higher than in Chiang Mai | |
| Groceries Prices in Playa del Carmen are 15.6% higher than in Chiang Mai | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Playa del Carmen is 27.5% lower than in Chiang Mai | |
Restaurants | Chiang Mai Edit |
Playa del Carmen Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant |
฿65.00 (Mex$34.60) |
฿375.68 (Mex$200.00) |
+478.0 % |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) |
฿600.00 (Mex$319.42) |
฿1,502.71 (Mex$800.00) |
+150.5 % |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) |
฿225.00 (Mex$119.78) |
฿411.62 (Mex$219.13) |
+82.9 % |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) |
฿80.00 (Mex$42.59) |
฿96.85 (Mex$51.56) |
+21.1 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) |
฿120.00 (Mex$63.88) |
฿223.06 (Mex$118.75) |
+85.9 % |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) |
฿56.56 (Mex$30.11) |
฿129.56 (Mex$68.98) |
+129.1 % |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) |
฿25.00 (Mex$13.31) |
฿46.26 (Mex$24.63) |
+85.1 % |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) |
฿10.50 (Mex$5.59) |
฿25.62 (Mex$13.64) |
+144.0 % |
Markets | Chiang Mai Edit |
Playa del Carmen Edit | |
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) |
฿62.43 (Mex$33.23) |
฿53.60 (Mex$28.53) |
-14.1 % |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) |
฿51.00 (Mex$27.15) |
฿63.86 (Mex$33.99) |
+25.2 % |
| White Rice (1 lb) |
฿17.13 (Mex$9.12) |
฿25.33 (Mex$13.49) |
+47.9 % |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) |
฿66.97 (Mex$35.65) |
฿87.57 (Mex$46.62) |
+30.8 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) |
฿225.60 (Mex$120.10) |
฿136.32 (Mex$72.57) |
-39.6 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) |
฿43.92 (Mex$23.38) |
฿131.51 (Mex$70.01) |
+199.5 % |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) |
฿153.97 (Mex$81.97) |
฿184.61 (Mex$98.28) |
+19.9 % |
| Apples (1 lb) |
฿38.45 (Mex$20.47) |
฿44.37 (Mex$23.62) |
+15.4 % |
| Bananas (1 lb) |
฿14.39 (Mex$7.66) |
฿22.14 (Mex$11.79) |
+53.8 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) |
฿25.41 (Mex$13.53) |
฿31.10 (Mex$16.56) |
+22.4 % |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) |
฿21.28 (Mex$11.33) |
฿33.24 (Mex$17.70) |
+56.2 % |
| Potatoes (1 lb) |
฿18.40 (Mex$9.79) |
฿29.54 (Mex$15.72) |
+60.6 % |
| Onions (1 lb) |
฿15.98 (Mex$8.51) |
฿29.39 (Mex$15.64) |
+83.9 % |
| Lettuce (1 Head) |
฿26.93 (Mex$14.34) |
฿38.96 (Mex$20.74) |
+44.7 % |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) |
฿15.83 (Mex$8.43) |
฿37.57 (Mex$20.00) |
+137.3 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) |
฿600.00 (Mex$319.42) |
฿338.11 (Mex$180.00) |
-43.6 % |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) |
฿55.84 (Mex$29.73) |
฿52.11 (Mex$27.74) |
-6.7 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) |
฿94.35 (Mex$50.23) |
฿96.14 (Mex$51.18) |
+1.9 % |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) |
฿145.60 (Mex$77.51) |
฿147.45 (Mex$78.50) |
+1.3 % |
Transportation | Chiang Mai Edit |
Playa del Carmen Edit | |
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) |
฿30.00 (Mex$15.97) |
฿18.78 (Mex$10.00) |
-37.4 % |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) |
฿1,800.00 (Mex$958.27) |
฿939.20 (Mex$500.00) |
-47.8 % |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) |
฿40.00 (Mex$21.29) |
฿169.06 (Mex$90.00) |
+322.6 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) |
฿48.28 (Mex$25.70) |
฿187.84 (Mex$100.00) |
+289.1 % |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) |
฿60.00 (Mex$31.94) |
฿187.84 (Mex$100.00) |
+213.1 % |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) |
฿44.24 (Mex$23.55) |
฿48.43 (Mex$25.78) |
+9.5 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) |
฿700,000.00 (Mex$372,659.07) |
฿726,919.12 (Mex$386,990.00) |
+3.8 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-Size Car) |
฿882,333.33 (Mex$469,727.88) |
฿822,798.53 (Mex$438,033.33) |
-6.7 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Chiang Mai Edit |
Playa del Carmen Edit | |
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) |
฿2,131.08 (Mex$1,134.53) |
฿2,892.42 (Mex$1,539.84) |
+35.7 % |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) |
฿447.42 (Mex$238.19) |
฿751.36 (Mex$400.00) |
+67.9 % |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) |
฿602.42 (Mex$320.71) |
฿1,006.82 (Mex$536.00) |
+67.1 % |
Sports And Leisure | Chiang Mai Edit |
Playa del Carmen Edit | |
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership |
฿1,337.38 (Mex$711.98) |
฿2,204.58 (Mex$1,173.65) |
+64.8 % |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) |
฿128.12 (Mex$68.21) |
฿845.28 (Mex$450.00) |
+559.7 % |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) |
฿230.00 (Mex$122.45) |
฿161.42 (Mex$85.94) |
-29.8 % |
Childcare | Chiang Mai Edit |
Playa del Carmen Edit | |
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child |
฿26,302.14 (Mex$14,002.47) |
฿7,090.93 (Mex$3,775.00) |
-73.0 % |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child |
฿498,811.11 (Mex$265,552.12) |
฿135,244.26 (Mex$72,000.00) |
-72.9 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Chiang Mai Edit |
Playa del Carmen Edit | |
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) |
฿1,845.79 (Mex$982.65) |
฿1,494.87 (Mex$795.83) |
-19.0 % |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) |
฿835.44 (Mex$444.76) |
฿1,414.65 (Mex$753.12) |
+69.3 % |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) |
฿3,182.00 (Mex$1,694.00) |
฿3,052.36 (Mex$1,624.99) |
-4.1 % |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes |
฿2,574.72 (Mex$1,370.70) |
฿2,981.91 (Mex$1,587.48) |
+15.8 % |
Rent Per Month | Chiang Mai Edit |
Playa del Carmen Edit | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre |
฿16,531.24 (Mex$8,800.74) |
฿34,661.92 (Mex$18,452.97) |
+109.7 % |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre |
฿9,372.73 (Mex$4,989.76) |
฿12,820.91 (Mex$6,825.47) |
+36.8 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre |
฿29,941.67 (Mex$15,940.05) |
฿62,613.08 (Mex$33,333.33) |
+109.1 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre |
฿17,307.69 (Mex$9,214.10) |
฿41,324.64 (Mex$22,000.00) |
+138.8 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Chiang Mai Edit |
Playa del Carmen Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre |
฿6,049.80 (Mex$3,220.73) |
฿12,035.32 (Mex$6,407.24) |
+98.9 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre |
฿4,516.91 (Mex$2,404.67) |
฿19,640.97 (Mex$10,456.26) |
+334.8 % |
Salaries And Financing | Chiang Mai Edit |
Playa del Carmen Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) |
฿20,391.63 (Mex$10,855.90) |
฿23,452.71 (Mex$12,485.52) |
+15.0 % |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 5.82 | 11.60 | +99.1 % |
| Last update: | 6 May 2026 | 4 May 2026 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 48 | 19 | |
Cities near Chiang Mai: | Cost of Living in Chiang Rai | 116.48 miles |
| Cost of Living in Mae Sot | 218.93 miles |
| Cost of Living in Phitsanulok | 242.68 miles |
Cities near Playa del Carmen: | Cost of Living in Cancun | 43.05 miles |
| Cost of Living in Motul de Carrillo Puerto | 169.06 miles |
| Cost of Living in Chetumal | 196.83 miles |
| Cost of Living in Merida | 223.09 miles |