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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $764 in Zacapoaxtla, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,231 in Zacapoaxtla, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,698 in Zacapoaxtla, rent included.

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

Both Chiang Mai and Zacapoaxtla are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Zacapoaxtla 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿65.0

$4.38 MX$76.4

-54.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿619

$21.46 MX$375

-12.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿255

$5.36 MX$93.5

44.59%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿63.2

$2.49 MX$43.48

-22.89%

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

$0.79 ฿26.07

$0.99 MX$17.31

-20.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.74

$1.07 MX$18.75

-66.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.9

$1.26 MX$21.91

75.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$1.93 MX$33.68

89.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿54.4

$1.24 MX$21.69

33.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.7

$1.39 MX$24.21

17.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.28

$1.48 MX$25.86

-19.59%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.8

$2.28 MX$39.84

-12.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿526

$3.20 MX$55.8

399.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$4.67 MX$81.4

-35.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿357

$4.61 MX$80.5

135.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.9

$1.26 MX$21.93

119.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.83

$1.03 MX$18.03

14.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.0

$0.56 MX$9.79

192.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.0

$1.01 MX$17.61

50.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.59

$0.80 MX$14.00

72.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.25

$1.04 MX$18.23

14.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.11

$1.11 MX$19.44

-36.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.92 MX$16.08

-39.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿151

$4.17 MX$72.7

9.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿545

$13.59 MX$237

21.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.2

$1.12 MX$19.60

63.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿105

$1.57 MX$27.46

103.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.87

$0.68 MX$11.92

29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿616

$42.11 MX$735

-55.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$1.33 MX$23.26

2.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.12

$0.28 MX$4.87

378.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿258

$5.29 MX$92.3

48.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿40.35

$1.28 MX$22.37

-3.91%

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

$21.6K ฿711.8K

$13.5K MX$236.5K

59.60%

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

$22.5K ฿742.2K

$23.7K MX$414.4K

-5.04%

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

$70.5 ฿2,322

$40.25 MX$703

75.25%

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

$13.68 ฿450

$26.22 MX$458

-47.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿574

$30.10 MX$525

-42.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,361

$35.37 MX$617

16.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

$16.01 MX$279

-56.53%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿190

$2.61 MX$45.59

121.07%

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

$307 ฿10.1K

$209 MX$3,650

46.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿481.0K

$3,626 MX$63.3K

302.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,837

$18.20 MX$318

206.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿863

$23.46 MX$410

11.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,823

$42.14 MX$736

103.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,378

$34.82 MX$608

107.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.1K

$497 MX$8,673

-13.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,857

$247 MX$4,305

-3.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.9K

$987 MX$17.2K

-17.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.8K

$588 MX$10.3K

-13.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿65.3K

$1,928 MX$33.6K

2.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.9K

$1,288 MX$22.5K

15.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.4K

$630 MX$11.0K

-1.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-55.91%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Zacapoaxtla: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $497 in Zacapoaxtla. 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 2% higher in Zacapoaxtla, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $21.00 in Zacapoaxtla. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $164 in Zacapoaxtla – so Zacapoaxtla 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 Zacapoaxtla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Zacapoaxtla, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,146 in Zacapoaxtla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zacapoaxtla, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $209 in Zacapoaxtla. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $764 in Zacapoaxtla, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Zacapoaxtla costs $764 versus $869 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 Zacapoaxtla. 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.