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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,015 in Tepic, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,651 in Tepic, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,288 in Tepic, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 14% cheaper than Tepic, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Tepic are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Tepic 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿65.0

$7.99 MX$139

-75.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿619

$42.04 MX$734

-55.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿255

$9.03 MX$158

-14.17%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿63.2

$3.21 MX$56.0

-40.19%

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

$0.79 ฿26.07

$2.03 MX$35.47

-61.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.74

$1.38 MX$24.07

-73.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.9

$2.60 MX$45.39

-15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$3.94 MX$68.7

-7.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿54.4

$1.49 MX$26.05

10.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.7

$2.34 MX$40.76

-30.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.28

$1.03 MX$17.96

15.53%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.8

$2.03 MX$35.44

-1.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿526

$4.73 MX$82.6

237.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$13.18 MX$230

-77.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿357

$6.76 MX$118

60.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.9

$2.61 MX$45.57

5.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.83

$1.51 MX$26.27

-21.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.0

$3.40 MX$59.3

-51.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.0

$1.59 MX$27.68

-4.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.59

$1.82 MX$31.80

-24.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.25

$1.99 MX$34.71

-40.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.11

$1.45 MX$25.33

-51.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.01 MX$17.71

-44.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿151

$4.27 MX$74.6

7.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿545

$11.03 MX$192

50.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.2

$0.77 MX$13.43

137.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿105

$1.60 MX$28.00

100.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.87

$0.51 MX$8.84

72.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿616

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$2.18 MX$38.06

-37.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.12

$0.50 MX$8.80

168.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿258

$10.76 MX$188

-27.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿40.35

$1.26 MX$22.01

-2.38%

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

$21.6K ฿711.8K

$18.5K MX$322.7K

16.96%

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

$22.5K ฿742.2K

$18.4K MX$321.7K

22.31%

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

$70.5 ฿2,322

$41.95 MX$732

68.15%

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

$13.68 ฿450

$11.76 MX$205

16.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿574

$25.28 MX$441

-30.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,361

$36.42 MX$636

13.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

$15.66 MX$273

-55.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿190

$4.27 MX$74.5

35.13%

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

$307 ฿10.1K

$210 MX$3,662

46.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿481.0K

$3,485 MX$60.8K

319.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,837

$42.51 MX$742

31.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿863

$16.14 MX$282

62.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,823

$66.3 MX$1,157

29.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,378

$75.0 MX$1,309

-3.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.1K

$507 MX$8,847

-15.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,857

$403 MX$7,026

-40.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.9K

$937 MX$16.4K

-12.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.8K

$770 MX$13.4K

-33.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿65.3K

$2,109 MX$36.8K

-5.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.9K

$1,268 MX$22.1K

17.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.4K

$689 MX$12.0K

-10.12%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Tepic: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $507 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $42.00 in Tepic. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $251 – 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 17% 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 $1,523 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 $19.00 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 $869, than in Tepic at $1,015. 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 $869 versus $1,015 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.