Comparación del coste de vida entre Chiang Mai y Tulum Comparación del coste de vida entre Chiang Mai y Tulum

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,046 in Tulum, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,936 in Tulum, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,827 in Tulum, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 19% cheaper than Tulum, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Tulum are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Tulum 22% lower.

Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Tulum
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.96 ฿64.0
$10.40 MX$182
-81.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.81 ฿615
$51.2 MX$897
-63.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.92 ฿259
$8.16 MX$143
-2.94%
Cappuccino
$1.91 ฿62.6
$3.70 MX$64.7
-48.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84 ฿27.41
$1.21 MX$21.21
-30.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 ฿11.51
$1.11 MX$19.37
-68.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.21 ฿72.1
$2.76 MX$48.32
-19.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 ฿124
$3.98 MX$69.6
-4.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Tulum
Diferencia
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ฿53.5
$1.43 MX$25.08
14.69%
White Bread (500g)
$1.62 ฿53.1
$1.18 MX$20.72
37.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 ฿38.62
$1.54 MX$27.02
-23.38%
Eggs
$2.01 ฿65.8
$1.99 MX$34.77
1.01%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.89 ฿520
$5.44 MX$95.2
192.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.01 ฿98.5
$7.00 MX$123
-57.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.77 ฿352
$6.52 MX$114
65.18%
Apples (1kg)
$2.61 ฿85.5
$2.16 MX$37.85
20.83%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿39.88
$1.42 MX$24.85
-14.08%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.70 ฿55.7
$1.40 MX$24.48
21.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.58 ฿51.5
$1.36 MX$23.86
16.18%
Potato (1kg)
$1.32 ฿43.14
$2.18 MX$38.07
-39.45%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 ฿38.23
$1.95 MX$34.14
-40.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.67 ฿21.98
$1.08 MX$18.83
-37.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ฿18.32
$1.00 MX$17.43
-44.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.53 ฿148
$4.28 MX$74.8
5.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.20 ฿595
$8.79 MX$154
107.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83 ฿60.0
$1.31 MX$22.95
39.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23 ฿106
$1.30 MX$22.69
148.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Tulum
Diferencia
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.89 ฿29.00
$1.11 MX$19.47
-19.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.38 ฿634
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.35 ฿44.20
$2.06 MX$36.09
-34.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿44.05
$2.23 MX$39.06
-39.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.25 ฿270
$5.16 MX$90.2
59.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 ฿41.64
$1.30 MX$22.79
-2.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿691.8K
$15.8K MX$276.4K
33.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5K ฿735.3K
$21.2K MX$371.3K
5.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Tulum
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.2 ฿2,294
$84.2 MX$1,474
-16.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77 ฿450
$22.28 MX$390
-38.20%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.60 ฿575
$29.45 MX$515
-40.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Tulum
Diferencia
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.57 ฿1,360
$33.29 MX$583
24.87%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.60 ฿216
$15.80 MX$277
-58.23%
Cinema Ticket
$5.78 ฿189
$4.65 MX$81.5
24.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Tulum
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$306 ฿10.0K
$204 MX$3,564
50.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿484.8K
$2,835 MX$49.6K
422.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Tulum
Diferencia
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.4 ฿1,778
$25.94 MX$454
109.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.14 ฿855
$31.52 MX$552
-17.07%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.5 ฿2,764
$80.8 MX$1,414
4.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.4 ฿2,270
$45.62 MX$798
52.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Tulum
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$424 ฿13.9K
$699 MX$12.2K
-39.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$238 ฿7,788
$397 MX$6,945
-39.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$825 ฿27.0K
$1,432 MX$25.1K
-42.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$515 ฿16.8K
$1,256 MX$22.0K
-58.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,049 ฿67.0K
$3,268 MX$57.2K
-37.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,523 ฿49.8K
$1,855 MX$32.5K
-17.89%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Tulum
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$635 ฿20.8K
$781 MX$13.7K
-18.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
11
-54.55%

Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.

Última actualización para Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Última actualización para Tulum: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $699 in Tulum. 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 23% higher in Tulum, 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 $51.0 in Tulum. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $196 in Tulum – so Tulum wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)

El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Chiang Mai vs Tulum: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Tulum?
Tulum costs about 23% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai vs Tulum?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,569 in Tulum. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Tulum?
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.
How do dining costs compare in Chiang Mai vs Tulum?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $51.0 in Tulum. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or Tulum?
Interestingly, groceries are about 24% cheaper in Tulum – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chiang Mai or Tulum?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Tulum at $1,046. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tulum it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Tulum?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,046 in Tulum. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Tulum?
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.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or Tulum?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tulum makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Chiang Mai vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado

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