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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $741 in Tlaxcala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,189 in Tlaxcala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,638 in Tlaxcala, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Tlaxcala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Tlaxcala are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Tlaxcala 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$5.39 MX$93.4

-63.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$20.89 MX$362

-11.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$5.75 MX$99.6

30.43%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$2.83 MX$49.03

-31.80%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$1.27 MX$21.94

-38.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.93 MX$16.16

-65.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$1.30 MX$22.53

65.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$1.80 MX$31.20

106.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.67 MX$28.88

2.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$1.94 MX$33.58

-19.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$1.41 MX$24.40

-16.31%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$2.15 MX$37.18

-7.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$6.87 MX$119

133.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$5.74 MX$99.4

-44.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$10.51 MX$182

4.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$2.23 MX$38.64

17.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$1.16 MX$20.19

0.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$1.67 MX$28.88

-1.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$1.17 MX$20.29

31.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$0.89 MX$15.36

55.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$1.07 MX$18.58

9.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$0.81 MX$14.07

-18.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$1.10 MX$19.08

-53.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$4.16 MX$72.0

8.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$10.03 MX$174

82.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$1.37 MX$23.66

31.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$1.54 MX$26.72

106.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$0.43 MX$7.48

109.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$2.21 MX$38.25

-36.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$1.55 MX$26.91

-15.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$8.22 MX$142

-1.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$1.19 MX$20.70

7.56%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$25.4K MX$440.3K

-16.18%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$26.1K MX$452.5K

-16.87%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$33.34 MX$578

107.56%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$18.70 MX$324

-25.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$33.17 MX$575

-45.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$31.48 MX$545

34.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$21.15 MX$367

-68.51%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$4.62 MX$80.1

28.14%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$239 MX$4,146

25.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$3,536 MX$61.3K

319.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$30.19 MX$523

86.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$48.09 MX$833

-43.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$110 MX$1,911

-23.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$88.4 MX$1,531

-18.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$245 MX$4,250

77.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$155 MX$2,691

54.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$483 MX$8,369

65.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$347 MX$6,017

43.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$690 MX$12.0K

-9.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.5

-52.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Last update for Tlaxcala: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $245 in Tlaxcala. 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 Tlaxcala, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18 in Chiang Mai versus $21 in Tlaxcala. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $213 in Tlaxcala – so Tlaxcala wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Tlaxcala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Tlaxcala, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,111 in Tlaxcala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tlaxcala, 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 $21.00 in Tlaxcala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $845 in Chiang Mai and $741 in Tlaxcala, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tlaxcala costs $741 versus $845 in Chiang Mai. 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 Tlaxcala. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.