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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,195 in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,962 in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,730 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 32% lower, Tlajomulco de Zúñiga 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$14.50 MX$249

-85.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$48.96 MX$840

-59.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$9.54 MX$164

-40.57%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$3.58 MX$61.4

-49.44%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$1.71 MX$29.40

-54.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$1.25 MX$21.49

-72.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$2.35 MX$40.32

-5.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$5.35 MX$91.8

-29.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$1.64 MX$28.23

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$2.71 MX$46.57

-44.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.67 MX$28.70

-16.17%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$2.64 MX$45.23

-14.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$10.38 MX$178

55.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$8.70 MX$149

-66.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$10.99 MX$189

-14.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$2.65 MX$45.46

1.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$1.66 MX$28.51

-34.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.48 MX$25.38

9.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$1.43 MX$24.51

2.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$1.79 MX$30.68

-28.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$1.14 MX$19.53

-7.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$1.50 MX$25.79

-52.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$1.13 MX$19.37

-53.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$4.66 MX$79.9

-9.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$10.39 MX$178

76.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$1.73 MX$29.73

-5.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$3.54 MX$60.8

-18.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

$0.67 MX$11.53

31.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$2.40 MX$41.15

-51.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$1.44 MX$24.80

-59.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$12.64 MX$217

-81.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$1.45 MX$24.88

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$22.5K MX$386.4K

-6.67%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$26.0K MX$446.3K

1.63%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$52.2 MX$896

21.93%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$24.09 MX$414

-46.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$23.60 MX$405

-13.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$36.50 MX$627

6.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$24.54 MX$421

-84.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$3.60 MX$61.8

82.78%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$272 MX$4,672

187.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$11.3K MX$194.4K

29.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$63.5 MX$1,090

-13.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$44.40 MX$762

-44.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$114 MX$1,957

-17.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$86.6 MX$1,486

-14.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$637 MX$10.9K

-23.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$411 MX$7,060

-29.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$1,115 MX$19.1K

-20.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$808 MX$13.9K

-35.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

$1,821 MX$31.3K

8.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

$1,143 MX$19.6K

26.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$663 MX$11.4K

-9.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.32

4.70%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Tlajomulco de Zúñiga: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $637 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.

Salaries run about 10% higher in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $49.00 in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $268 – 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,792 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $49.00 in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% 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 $932, than in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga at $1,195. 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 $932 versus $1,195 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.