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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,166 in Xilitla, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,916 in Xilitla, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,667 in Xilitla, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 27% cheaper than Xilitla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Xilitla are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Xilitla 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$10.61 MX$186

-81.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$47.73 MX$835

-60.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$7.72 MX$135

2.59%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$3.56 MX$62.3

-46.35%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.32 MX$23.05

-36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$1.02 MX$17.88

-65.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.87 MX$50.2

-23.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$5.15 MX$90.0

-26.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.28 MX$22.42

28.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$2.70 MX$47.29

-40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.94 MX$34.01

-39.18%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$1.64 MX$28.65

22.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$7.17 MX$125

121.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$10.91 MX$191

-72.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$13.67 MX$239

-21.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.73 MX$30.20

50.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.72 MX$30.05

-29.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.72 MX$47.57

-37.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.96 MX$34.22

-19.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.91 MX$33.41

-30.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.25 MX$21.86

-6.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.30 MX$22.71

-48.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$1.31 MX$22.90

-57.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$4.26 MX$74.6

6.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$17.23 MX$302

5.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$2.42 MX$42.41

-24.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.59 MX$62.8

-10.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.64 MX$11.21

39.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$4.18 MX$73.2

-67.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.20 MX$20.97

12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$7.81 MX$137

5.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.32 MX$23.08

-3.79%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$18.0K MX$315.5K

17.35%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$10.0K MX$175.7K

124.02%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$57.2 MX$1,000

22.70%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$16.10 MX$282

-14.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$10.41 MX$182

69.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$35.85 MX$627

15.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$15.95 MX$279

-58.62%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$7.01 MX$123

-17.55%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$338 MX$5,913

-9.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$4,835 MX$84.6K

206.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$62.3 MX$1,091

-12.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$57.7 MX$1,010

-54.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$109 MX$1,912

-22.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$143 MX$2,505

-51.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$518 MX$9,062

-18.18%

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

$941 MX$16.5K

-12.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$753 MX$13.2K

-31.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$2,008 MX$35.1K

2.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,250 MX$21.9K

21.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.9

-57.98%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Xilitla: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $518 in Xilitla. 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 $48.00 in Xilitla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $294 – 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 Xilitla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Xilitla costs about 37% 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 $1,748 in Xilitla. 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 $48.00 in Xilitla. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Xilitla, 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 Xilitla at $1,166. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Xilitla it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,166 in Xilitla. 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, Xilitla makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.