Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Zamora de Hidalgo Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Zamora de Hidalgo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,163 in Zamora de Hidalgo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,763 in Zamora de Hidalgo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,364 in Zamora de Hidalgo, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 25% cheaper than Zamora de Hidalgo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Zamora de Hidalgo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Zamora de Hidalgo 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$8.10 MX$139

-75.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$18.32 MX$314

2.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$8.07 MX$139

-3.97%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$3.60 MX$61.9

-46.67%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.25 MX$21.48

-36.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.94 MX$16.17

-61.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.58 MX$27.09

39.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.59 MX$44.50

41.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.53 MX$26.26

7.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$2.64 MX$45.27

-38.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.97 MX$33.76

-39.59%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.36 MX$40.52

-15.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$8.12 MX$139

96.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$9.87 MX$169

-69.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$13.12 MX$225

-17.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$3.54 MX$60.8

-22.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.53 MX$26.27

-22.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.91 MX$32.77

-14.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.71 MX$29.34

-11.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.78 MX$30.53

-22.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.83 MX$31.34

-34.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.26 MX$21.59

-44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$1.15 MX$19.70

-51.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$4.36 MX$74.8

5.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$16.97 MX$291

-2.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$2.00 MX$34.26

-8.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$3.28 MX$56.4

-2.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.62 MX$10.59

41.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$3.16 MX$54.2

-56.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.20 MX$20.63

11.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$9.22 MX$158

-14.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.29 MX$22.16

-4.65%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$20.0K MX$343.1K

8.16%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$20.9K MX$358.1K

8.05%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$63.2 MX$1,084

11.67%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$24.12 MX$414

-43.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$28.35 MX$487

-38.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$36.33 MX$624

13.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$15.70 MX$270

-55.67%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.85 MX$100

-1.37%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$312 MX$5,355

-1.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$4,816 MX$82.7K

203.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$50.9 MX$873

9.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$42.50 MX$729

-38.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$98.4 MX$1,689

-12.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$98.8 MX$1,695

-26.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$506 MX$8,693

-15.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$391 MX$6,718

-39.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$947 MX$16.3K

-13.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$751 MX$12.9K

-31.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$2,195 MX$37.7K

-9.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,127 MX$19.3K

31.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

-56.71%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Zamora de Hidalgo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $506 in Zamora de Hidalgo. 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 $18.00 in Zamora de Hidalgo. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $293 in Zamora de Hidalgo – so Chiang Mai 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 Zamora de Hidalgo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zamora de Hidalgo costs about 34% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,745 in Zamora de Hidalgo. 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 $18.00 in Zamora de Hidalgo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Zamora de Hidalgo, 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 $869, than in Zamora de Hidalgo at $1,163. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zamora de Hidalgo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,163 in Zamora de Hidalgo. 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, Zamora de Hidalgo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.