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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $872 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,094 in Villahermosa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,790 in Villahermosa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,487 in Villahermosa, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 20% cheaper than Villahermosa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Villahermosa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Villahermosa 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ฿64.5

$10.63 MX$185

-81.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.23 ฿584

$34.84 MX$605

-47.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ฿245

$10.62 MX$184

-27.97%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿61.5

$3.15 MX$54.7

-39.05%

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

$0.84 ฿26.97

$1.18 MX$20.43

-28.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.42

$0.93 MX$16.17

-61.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ฿70.2

$2.81 MX$48.78

-22.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿121

$5.20 MX$90.2

-27.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.5

$1.34 MX$23.25

22.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.0

$1.63 MX$28.36

-0.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.98

$1.29 MX$22.37

-10.85%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿62.2

$2.32 MX$40.34

-16.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿511

$8.64 MX$150

84.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.5

$10.12 MX$176

-69.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿355

$13.13 MX$228

-15.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿86.8

$3.34 MX$58.0

-18.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿37.80

$1.30 MX$22.65

-9.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.7

$1.55 MX$26.98

10.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.5

$1.18 MX$20.41

36.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.66

$1.57 MX$27.21

-11.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.81

$1.33 MX$23.13

-13.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.83

$1.28 MX$22.29

-44.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.65

$1.10 MX$19.11

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿146

$5.12 MX$88.9

-10.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ฿605

$10.14 MX$176

86.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$2.62 MX$45.52

-30.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

$6.29 MX$109

-48.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.24

$0.64 MX$11.15

37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.89 ฿606

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.30

$2.16 MX$37.42

-34.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿41.71

$1.54 MX$26.66

-15.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 ฿263

$8.06 MX$140

1.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.29

$1.28 MX$22.21

-3.91%

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

$21.2K ฿678.9K

$22.6K MX$393.0K

-6.47%

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

$22.3K ฿715.3K

$26.1K MX$452.7K

-14.44%

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

$69.9 ฿2,240

$60.3 MX$1,047

15.83%

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

$14.07 ฿451

$28.49 MX$495

-50.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 ฿567

$29.13 MX$506

-39.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ฿1,328

$44.42 MX$771

-6.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿215

$15.97 MX$277

-58.11%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ฿184

$3.68 MX$63.9

55.98%

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

$299 ฿9,593

$298 MX$5,165

0.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿481.2K

$4,351 MX$75.5K

244.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,758

$57.3 MX$994

-4.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ฿845

$40.18 MX$697

-34.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ฿2,714

$76.8 MX$1,333

10.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,236

$58.4 MX$1,013

19.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.7K

$344 MX$5,969

24.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,718

$371 MX$6,442

-35.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.0K

$831 MX$14.4K

-2.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.0K

$825 MX$14.3K

-39.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.9K

$1,278 MX$22.2K

19.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ฿20.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

-56.52%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 13, 2026

Last update for Villahermosa: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Chiang Mai versus $344 in Villahermosa. 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $35 in Villahermosa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 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 Villahermosa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Villahermosa costs about 25% 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 $1,308 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,641 in Villahermosa. 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai and $35.00 in Villahermosa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Villahermosa, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $872 in Chiang Mai and $1,094 in Villahermosa, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $872 versus $1,094 in Villahermosa. 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, Villahermosa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.