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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $806 in Zacatecas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,275 in Zacatecas, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,744 in Zacatecas, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 18% more than Zacatecas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Zacatecas are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Zacatecas 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$6.90 MX$117

-69.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$34.73 MX$589

-42.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$7.83 MX$133

-26.05%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$3.23 MX$54.8

-43.34%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.38 MX$23.34

-43.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.78 MX$13.28

-60.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$2.12 MX$35.97

10.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$4.55 MX$77.2

-18.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.55 MX$26.27

30.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$2.31 MX$39.19

-30.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.73 MX$29.34

-17.92%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$2.39 MX$40.62

-8.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$7.91 MX$134

101.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$6.38 MX$108

-51.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$10.37 MX$176

-4.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$1.97 MX$33.35

33.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.77 MX$30.01

-37.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$2.21 MX$37.55

-26.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.54 MX$26.15

-0.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$2.09 MX$35.46

-40.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.90 MX$32.22

-40.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$1.54 MX$26.15

-51.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.92 MX$15.56

-45.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$4.76 MX$80.8

-10.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$11.57 MX$196

55.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.81 MX$30.69

-6.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$3.53 MX$60.0

-17.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.53 MX$9.03

77.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$17.84 MX$303

209.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$2.42 MX$41.11

-49.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.19 MX$20.22

-55.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$12.89 MX$219

-81.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.59 MX$27.01

-9.43%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$23.3K MX$395.6K

-9.12%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$25.7K MX$435.4K

6.38%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$24.89 MX$422

160.87%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$9.09 MX$154

46.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$27.23 MX$462

-23.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$26.38 MX$448

53.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$8.77 MX$149

-54.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$4.56 MX$77.3

47.15%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$278 MX$4,720

182.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$3,489 MX$59.2K

333.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$48.51 MX$823

15.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$45.71 MX$775

-45.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$97.1 MX$1,647

-4.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$46.93 MX$796

60.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$261 MX$4,435

85.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$176 MX$2,979

63.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$414 MX$7,020

119.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$264 MX$4,486

100.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$617 MX$10.5K

135.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$452 MX$7,667

33.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.8

-48.43%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Zacatecas: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $261 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 34% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $35.00 in Zacatecas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $245 – 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 Zacatecas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 18% more than Zacatecas, 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,208 in Zacatecas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $278 in Zacatecas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zacatecas, where all-in costs run around $806, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Zacatecas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Zacatecas costs $806 versus $950 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 Zacatecas. 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.