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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,621 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,216 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,811 in Mazatlan, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 46% cheaper than Mazatlan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Mazatlan is 21% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$10.54 MX$181

-81.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$45.84 MX$787

-58.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$8.44 MX$145

-8.18%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$3.36 MX$57.7

-42.86%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.39 MX$23.83

-43.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$1.04 MX$17.89

-65.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.04 MX$34.96

8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.59 MX$44.43

41.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.48 MX$25.46

11.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.52 MX$43.30

-35.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$2.15 MX$36.94

-44.65%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.28 MX$39.13

-12.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$7.84 MX$135

103.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.56 MX$113

-53.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$7.50 MX$129

44.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.60 MX$44.64

6.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.57 MX$26.98

-24.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.78 MX$30.49

-7.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.78 MX$13.41

94.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$2.16 MX$36.99

-36.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$2.59 MX$44.43

-54.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.26 MX$21.56

-44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$1.08 MX$18.55

-48.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$3.99 MX$68.5

14.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$16.36 MX$281

1.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.01 MX$34.51

-8.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.95 MX$50.7

8.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.66 MX$11.29

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$39.00 MX$669

-52.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$3.39 MX$58.2

-59.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.83 MX$31.38

-26.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$8.19 MX$141

-4.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.27 MX$21.82

-3.15%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$21.0K MX$360.6K

2.94%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$22.3K MX$383.5K

0.91%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$54.9 MX$942

28.46%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$20.85 MX$358

-34.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$41.00 MX$704

-57.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$42.14 MX$723

-1.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$15.64 MX$268

-55.50%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$3.87 MX$66.5

49.10%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$85.4 MX$1,466

259.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$1,908 MX$32.7K

665.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$62.5 MX$1,073

-10.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$26.08 MX$448

0.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$104 MX$1,784

-17.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$78.5 MX$1,347

-7.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$897 MX$15.4K

-52.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$864 MX$14.8K

-72.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$1,386 MX$23.8K

-41.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$1,101 MX$18.9K

-53.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,655 MX$28.4K

19.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,105 MX$19.0K

34.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$548 MX$9,406

12.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

-55.87%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mazatlan: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $897 in Mazatlan. 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 13% higher in Chiang Mai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $46.00 in Mazatlan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $248 – 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

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

Mazatlan costs about 87% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,432 in Mazatlan. 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $85.4 in Mazatlan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Mazatlan, 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 $869, than in Mazatlan at $1,621. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mazatlan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,621 in Mazatlan. 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, Mazatlan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.