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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $938 in Zacatecas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,518 in Zacatecas, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,098 in Zacatecas, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 8% cheaper than Zacatecas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Zacatecas are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Zacatecas 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$6.26 MX$109

-69.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$31.34 MX$543

-40.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$7.13 MX$124

9.68%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$2.98 MX$51.6

-34.56%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$1.22 MX$21.10

-30.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.74 MX$12.80

-52.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.89 MX$32.70

12.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.89 MX$67.4

-4.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.34 MX$23.26

27.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$2.15 MX$37.29

-24.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$1.55 MX$26.78

-26.45%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$2.19 MX$38.00

-11.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$7.15 MX$124

126.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.73 MX$99.2

-45.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$8.91 MX$154

22.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.71 MX$29.61

60.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$1.52 MX$26.28

-20.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.86 MX$32.18

-12.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$1.39 MX$24.09

14.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$1.74 MX$30.24

-19.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$1.95 MX$33.86

-40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$1.33 MX$22.97

-50.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.83 MX$14.34

-36.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$4.20 MX$72.7

11.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$11.13 MX$193

67.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.64 MX$28.37

9.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.30 MX$57.1

-2.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$0.52 MX$9.07

73.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$16.12 MX$279

19.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$2.06 MX$35.75

-31.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.94 MX$16.37

37.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$11.49 MX$199

-31.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.29 MX$22.43

-1.55%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$24.0K MX$416.5K

-11.47%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$23.6K MX$409.8K

-6.07%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$22.34 MX$387

209.18%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$7.74 MX$134

81.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$24.97 MX$433

-27.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$23.61 MX$409

73.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$8.08 MX$140

-13.86%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.11 MX$71.2

44.04%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$191 MX$3,311

56.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$3,154 MX$54.7K

374.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$43.97 MX$762

24.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$42.04 MX$729

-36.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$86.9 MX$1,506

-2.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$42.14 MX$730

67.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$240 MX$4,158

78.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$393 MX$6,809

-39.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$364 MX$6,305

120.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$770 MX$13.3K

-33.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$603 MX$10.4K

144.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$910 MX$15.8K

-32.12%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Zacatecas: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $240 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 47% higher in Zacatecas, 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 $31.00 in Zacatecas. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $220 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 8% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,408 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 $299 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 12% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $938 in Zacatecas, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $938 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.