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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,052 in Tepic, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,678 in Tepic, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,305 in Tepic, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 20% cheaper than Tepic, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Tepic are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Tepic 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$7.96 MX$138

-75.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$42.12 MX$730

-56.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$9.17 MX$159

-18.21%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$3.13 MX$54.2

-38.34%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$2.07 MX$35.89

-62.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$1.33 MX$22.99

-75.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$2.55 MX$44.12

-15.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$4.11 MX$71.3

-9.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.52 MX$26.37

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$2.33 MX$40.30

-33.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$1.08 MX$18.78

9.26%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$2.01 MX$34.83

-1.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$4.90 MX$84.9

227.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$12.95 MX$224

-75.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$6.70 MX$116

63.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$2.58 MX$44.72

1.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$1.57 MX$27.22

-25.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$3.52 MX$60.9

-53.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$1.61 MX$27.82

-4.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$1.85 MX$32.02

-25.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$2.06 MX$35.73

-43.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$1.44 MX$24.96

-54.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$1.02 MX$17.67

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$4.22 MX$73.1

7.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$11.44 MX$198

60.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$0.77 MX$13.31

133.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$1.68 MX$29.03

89.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$0.55 MX$9.61

63.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$2.11 MX$36.53

-33.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$0.51 MX$8.88

156.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$10.51 MX$182

-23.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$1.28 MX$22.15

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$18.5K MX$320.3K

15.22%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$18.8K MX$325.4K

15.60%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$42.49 MX$736

62.86%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$12.00 MX$208

16.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$25.61 MX$444

-29.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$36.65 MX$635

15.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$15.81 MX$274

-57.87%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$4.19 MX$72.7

41.29%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$208 MX$3,607

43.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$3,460 MX$60.0K

329.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$42.16 MX$731

33.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$15.88 MX$275

69.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$65.5 MX$1,135

29.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$73.6 MX$1,276

-2.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$514 MX$8,908

-15.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$398 MX$6,890

-39.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$934 MX$16.2K

-14.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$749 MX$13.0K

-33.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$2,220 MX$38.5K

-10.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$1,251 MX$21.7K

22.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$696 MX$12.1K

-9.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.75

-57.45%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Last update for Tepic: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $514 in Tepic. 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 11% higher in Tepic, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18 in Chiang Mai versus $42 in Tepic. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $253 – 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 Tepic: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tepic costs about 25% 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,578 in Tepic. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $42.00 in Tepic. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Tepic, 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 $845, than in Tepic at $1,052. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tepic it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $1,052 in Tepic. 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, Tepic makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.