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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $944 in Zacatecas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,493 in Zacatecas, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,042 in Zacatecas, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 9% cheaper than Zacatecas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Zacatecas are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Zacatecas 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$6.02 MX$105

-67.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$31.09 MX$541

-40.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$7.28 MX$127

2.75%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.96 MX$51.6

-31.76%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$1.22 MX$21.25

-30.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.70 MX$12.21

-48.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.81 MX$31.45

18.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.79 MX$65.9

-5.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.39 MX$24.21

18.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$2.14 MX$37.21

-26.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.57 MX$27.26

-24.20%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.20 MX$38.31

-11.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$7.26 MX$126

123.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.89 MX$103

-49.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$9.10 MX$158

20.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.74 MX$30.35

55.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.49 MX$25.96

-21.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.78 MX$30.97

-5.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.43 MX$24.94

11.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.80 MX$31.41

-23.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$2.02 MX$35.16

-40.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.37 MX$23.82

-51.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.75 MX$13.11

-25.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$4.17 MX$72.6

11.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$10.90 MX$190

61.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.63 MX$28.32

14.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$3.11 MX$54.1

6.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.49 MX$8.48

79.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$16.10 MX$280

20.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$2.08 MX$36.19

-34.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.94 MX$16.36

42.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$11.50 MX$200

-28.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.30 MX$22.70

-6.15%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$24.2K MX$422.0K

-11.90%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$23.9K MX$416.8K

-5.88%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$22.53 MX$392

213.67%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$8.09 MX$141

73.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$25.10 MX$437

-30.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$23.52 MX$410

79.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$7.80 MX$136

-11.79%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.15 MX$72.3

42.65%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$191 MX$3,324

61.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$3,190 MX$55.5K

366.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$43.23 MX$753

28.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$42.35 MX$737

-38.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$87.9 MX$1,531

-5.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$42.12 MX$733

67.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$239 MX$4,162

80.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$403 MX$7,013

-40.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$366 MX$6,372

124.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$768 MX$13.4K

-33.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$590 MX$10.3K

148.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$435 MX$7,577

33.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

-56.45%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Zacatecas: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $239 in Zacatecas. 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 33% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $31.00 in Zacatecas. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $221 in Zacatecas – so Zacatecas 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 Zacatecas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zacatecas costs about 10% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,415 in Zacatecas. 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.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $191 in Zacatecas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Zacatecas – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $944 in Zacatecas, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $944 in Zacatecas. 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, Zacatecas makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.