Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Tlajomulco de Zúñiga Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Tlajomulco de Zúñiga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,089 in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,735 in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,381 in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 22% cheaper than Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Tlajomulco de Zúñiga are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Tlajomulco de Zúñiga 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$10.65 MX$186

-81.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$38.40 MX$672

-51.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$7.79 MX$136

1.67%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$3.24 MX$56.8

-41.05%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.37 MX$24.01

-38.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.87 MX$15.22

-59.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.15 MX$37.66

2.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.78 MX$66.1

0.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.40 MX$24.53

17.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$2.56 MX$44.81

-36.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.52 MX$26.55

-22.37%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.43 MX$42.57

-17.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$9.51 MX$166

67.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$7.82 MX$137

-61.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$9.87 MX$173

9.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.45 MX$42.89

6.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.46 MX$25.48

-16.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.36 MX$23.75

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.36 MX$23.76

16.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.55 MX$27.06

-14.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.09 MX$19.04

7.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.38 MX$24.07

-51.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.03 MX$17.98

-45.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$4.35 MX$76.2

4.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$10.42 MX$182

74.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.55 MX$27.15

18.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.25 MX$56.9

-0.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.61 MX$10.73

45.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$2.68 MX$46.84

-49.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.55 MX$27.06

-12.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$11.85 MX$207

-30.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.31 MX$23.00

-3.05%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$23.7K MX$415.3K

-10.87%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$23.6K MX$413.0K

-4.73%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$31.35 MX$549

123.76%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$24.25 MX$424

-43.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$21.28 MX$372

-17.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$36.38 MX$637

14.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$16.06 MX$281

-58.90%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$3.08 MX$53.9

87.66%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$187 MX$3,265

64.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$6,258 MX$109.5K

136.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$49.56 MX$867

9.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$42.68 MX$747

-38.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$99.2 MX$1,736

-14.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$79.4 MX$1,390

-12.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$506 MX$8,861

-16.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$403 MX$7,060

-40.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$937 MX$16.4K

-11.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$764 MX$13.4K

-32.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$2,152 MX$37.7K

-4.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,424 MX$24.9K

6.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

-56.45%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Tlajomulco de Zúñiga: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $506 in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $38.00 in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $246 – 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 Tlajomulco de Zúñiga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tlajomulco de Zúñiga costs about 28% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,634 in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga. 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 $38.00 in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, 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 $852, than in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga at $1,089. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,089 in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga. 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, Tlajomulco de Zúñiga makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.