Bangkok vs Chiang Mai vs Mexico City vs Playa del Carmen

Bangkok ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Chiang Mai ๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ญ
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Mexico City ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Playa del Carmen ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ
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Population 5,680,000 1,166,978 8,850,000 259,453
Official language(s) Thai Thai Spanish Spanish
Level of English Low Low Moderate Moderate
Main airport Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) Mexico City International Airport (MEX) Cancun International Airport (CUN)
Most common months to visit January - March, November, December November - April March - May, October, November January - May, October - December
Currency THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) THB - Thai Baht (เธฟ) MXN - Mexican Peso ($) MXN - Mexican Peso ($)
Credit cards Accepted almost everywhere Accepted sometimes. Cash preferred in many places. Widely accepted (less with AMEX) Accepted almost everywhere
Remote worker visa No No Yes Yes
Average monthly costs $1560 $974 $1867 $2143
Rent $616 $274 $778 $923
Groceries $191 $169 $281 $127
Dining out $168 $108 $182 $207
Cafe $45 $45 $49 $42
Coworking space $127 $95 $159 $160
Mobile internet $23 $11 $25 $21
Public transportation $32 $60 $11 $17
Taxis $19 $20 $9 $9
Shared bicycles and scooters $17 $10 $24 $49
Sport and cultural events $46 $8 $81 $97
Museums and sights $21 $8 $20 $217
Nightlife $50 $62 $64 $77
Gym $96 $41 $69 $42
Yoga $98 $55 $65 $54
Massage $11 $10 $51 $101
SIM card options AIS AIS, DTAC Telcel, Movistar Telcel, Movistar
Tipping 10% for restaurants, bars and services 10% at restaurants, not customary or expected elsewhere 10-15% for restaurants, bars and services 10-15% for restaurants
Taxi apps Grab Grab Uber N/A
Tap water Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable Not drinkable
Overall cuisine Meat and fish dishes, vegetables, noodles and soup Combines salty, sweet, spicy and sour flavors to create bold and colorful dishes. Meals typically include a mixture of meat and seafood dishes, as well as noodles or soups recipes. Strong emphasis on local spices and vegetables. Corn, beans, tortillas and chili peppers typically alongside meat and cheese Staple dishes from maize, beans, sweet potato and avocado along with meat, chili peppers and other spices
Local food specialities Pad thai, tom yam, kway teow reua, som tum, sooan Khao soi, khan toke, sai oua, miang kham, nam prik, khanom jeen nam ngiaw, larb khua Enchiladas, torta de chilaquiles, esquites, quesadillas, tlacoyos, tacos, tostadas Chilaquiles, tacos al pastor, chile rellenos, cochinita pibil, tostadas, pozole
Eat like a local Food stalls, local markets, shophouse restaurants Street food stalls, local markets, bakeries and smaller, traditional restaurants that serve fresh food Markets, food stalls, menรบ del dรญa (cheap set lunch menus) Taco stands, esquite stalls, El Fogon, El Pirata, Dona Mary's
Vegetarian / vegan options 416 listings on Happy Cow 90 options on HappyCow 279 listings on Happy Cow 72 listings on Happy Cow