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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 21.4% cheaper than Tapachula without rent, and 23.6% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 26.2% cheaper than Tapachula without rent, and 24.5% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Tapachula
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.03 ฿64.6
$10.44 MX$186
-80.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.59 ฿593
$38.43 MX$684
-51.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.48 ฿238
$7.88 MX$140
-5.08%
Cappuccino
$2.00 ฿63.7
$3.36 MX$59.7
-40.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 ฿27.01
$1.29 MX$22.88
-34.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 ฿11.21
$0.98 MX$17.42
-64.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.21 ฿70.5
$2.44 MX$43.41
-9.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.76 ฿120
$3.89 MX$69.2
-3.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Tapachula
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 ฿54.8
$1.44 MX$25.60
19.44%
White Bread (500g)
$1.63 ฿52.1
$2.55 MX$45.32
-36.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.16 ฿36.93
$1.63 MX$29.03
-28.83%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿63.1
$2.30 MX$40.99
-13.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.93 ฿508
$8.26 MX$147
92.86%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.17 ฿101
$7.64 MX$136
-58.51%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿348
$10.61 MX$189
2.73%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 ฿84.3
$2.60 MX$46.21
1.92%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿38.98
$1.46 MX$26.00
-16.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.70 ฿54.1
$1.70 MX$30.27
-
Tomato (1kg)
$1.59 ฿50.7
$1.64 MX$29.20
-3.05%
Potato (1kg)
$1.32 ฿42.21
$1.87 MX$33.21
-29.41%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 ฿37.25
$1.91 MX$34.01
-38.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.68 ฿21.61
$1.21 MX$21.49
-43.80%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ฿17.76
$0.97 MX$17.31
-42.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.51 ฿144
$4.16 MX$74.1
8.41%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.07 ฿608
$9.77 MX$174
95.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿56.4
$1.53 MX$27.28
15.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 ฿101
$2.87 MX$51.0
10.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Tapachula
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.96 ฿30.70
$0.65 MX$11.57
47.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.90 ฿602
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.36 ฿43.29
$2.65 MX$47.09
-48.68%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿43.11
$1.55 MX$27.52
-12.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.03 ฿256
$8.08 MX$144
-0.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.24 ฿39.62
$1.28 MX$22.71
-3.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿674.7K
$20.9K MX$372.4K
1.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿693.5K
$22.5K MX$401.1K
-3.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Tapachula
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$71.2 ฿2,271
$56.7 MX$1,008
25.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.09 ฿449
$21.79 MX$388
-35.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.47 ฿557
$28.60 MX$509
-38.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Tapachula
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.07 ฿1,341
$35.48 MX$631
18.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.88 ฿219
$15.70 MX$279
-56.18%
Cinema Ticket
$5.94 ฿189
$4.55 MX$80.9
30.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Tapachula
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$307 ฿9,799
$204 MX$3,622
50.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿471.6K
$3,657 MX$65.1K
304.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Tapachula
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.7 ฿1,775
$53.1 MX$945
4.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.79 ฿854
$39.40 MX$701
-32.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.2 ฿2,653
$89.8 MX$1,597
-7.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.1 ฿2,235
$78.0 MX$1,387
-10.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Tapachula
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$427 ฿13.6K
$500 MX$8,901
-14.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$237 ฿7,559
$400 MX$7,108
-40.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$802 ฿25.6K
$932 MX$16.6K
-14.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$503 ฿16.0K
$762 MX$13.5K
-33.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,061 ฿65.7K
$2,170 MX$38.6K
-5.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,533 ฿48.9K
$1,309 MX$23.3K
17.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Tapachula
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$654 ฿20.8K
-
-
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: March 1, 2026

Last update for Tapachula: March 2, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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