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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 7.8% cheaper than Tapachula without rent, and 20.5% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 20.9% cheaper than Tapachula without rent, and 23.4% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Tapachula
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.02 ฿65.3
$10.68 MX$202
-81.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.78 ฿608
$39.63 MX$749
-52.61%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.67 ฿248
$7.89 MX$149
-2.79%
Cappuccino
$1.98 ฿64.2
$3.23 MX$61.2
-38.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 ฿26.64
$1.29 MX$24.4
-36.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿10.58
$0.9 MX$16.97
-63.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.12 ฿68.6
$2.34 MX$44.33
-9.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73 ฿121
$3.88 MX$73.4
-3.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Tapachula
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ฿53.2
$1.5 MX$28.36
9.33%
White Bread (500g)
$1.57 ฿50.9
$2.5 MX$47.31
-37.20%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 ฿38.62
$1.56 MX$29.49
-23.72%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿64.1
$2.38 MX$45.07
-16.81%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.99 ฿517
$8.21 MX$155
94.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.12 ฿101
$7.73 MX$146
-59.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿361
$10.49 MX$198
6.39%
Apples (1kg)
$2.76 ฿89.2
$2.61 MX$49.37
5.75%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿39.5
$1.44 MX$27.21
-15.28%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 ฿55.4
$1.73 MX$32.62
-1.16%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.55 ฿50.2
$1.64 MX$31.09
-5.49%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 ฿43.21
$1.92 MX$36.32
-30.21%
Onion (1kg)
$1.21 ฿39.23
$1.95 MX$36.92
-37.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿23.2
$1.26 MX$23.83
-42.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.05
$0.98 MX$18.61
-45.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.72 ฿153
$4.11 MX$77.8
14.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.39 ฿595
$12.27 MX$232
49.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 ฿57.9
$1.61 MX$30.52
11.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 ฿104
$2.75 MX$52.1
16.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Tapachula
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.94 ฿30.44
$0.61 MX$11.56
54.10%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.9 ฿612
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 ฿46.08
$2.53 MX$47.91
-43.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿43.53
$1.6 MX$30.3
-15.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.85 ฿254
$8.14 MX$154
-3.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 ฿40.4
$1.26 MX$23.84
-0.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿684.9K
$20.7K MX$392.3K
2.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿706.8K
$22.8K MX$431.6K
-4.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Tapachula
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.6 ฿2,285
$56.7 MX$1,073
24.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.72 ฿444
$22.27 MX$421
-38.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.56 ฿568
$28.03 MX$530
-37.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Tapachula
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.64 ฿1,347
$35.38 MX$669
17.69%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.9 ฿223
$15.78 MX$298
-56.27%
Cinema Ticket
$5.8 ฿188
$4.68 MX$88.4
23.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Tapachula
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 ฿9,963
$202 MX$3,825
52.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.7K ฿475.8K
$3,541 MX$66.9K
315.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Tapachula
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.4 ฿1,793
$53.1 MX$1,003
4.39%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.4 ฿854
$39.62 MX$749
-33.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 ฿2,755
$88.8 MX$1,679
-4.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.8 ฿2,323
$79.4 MX$1,501
-9.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Tapachula
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$434 ฿14K
$517 MX$9,777
-16.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$235 ฿7,610
$392 MX$7,408
-39.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$821 ฿26.6K
$936 MX$17.7K
-12.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$498 ฿16.1K
$776 MX$14.7K
-35.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,180 ฿70.6K
$1,621 MX$30.6K
34.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,543 ฿49.9K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Tapachula
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$703 ฿22.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
11.48
-56.45%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

Last update for Tapachula: October 27, 2025

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