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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,177 per month in Manzanillo vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,834 per month in Manzanillo vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,491 per month in Manzanillo vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Manzanillo costs about 38% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Manzanillo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Manzanillo 12% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.79 MX$188

$1.96 ฿63.6

450.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.50 MX$618

$18.81 ฿611

88.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.04 MX$192

$7.92 ฿258

39.39%

Cappuccino

$3.00 MX$52.2

$1.91 ฿62.2

57.07%

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

$1.21 MX$21.10

$0.84 ฿27.25

44.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 MX$21.56

$0.35 ฿11.44

254.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 MX$37.21

$2.21 ฿71.7

-3.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 MX$65.4

$3.80 ฿124

-1.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 MX$23.21

$1.64 ฿53.2

-18.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 MX$43.06

$1.62 ฿52.8

52.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MX$22.88

$1.18 ฿38.40

11.86%

Eggs

$2.06 MX$35.86

$2.01 ฿65.4

2.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.63 MX$115

$15.89 ฿517

-58.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.14 MX$89.4

$3.01 ฿98.0

70.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.27 MX$161

$10.77 ฿350

-13.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 MX$42.45

$2.61 ฿85.0

-6.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MX$24.73

$1.22 ฿39.65

16.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 MX$26.65

$1.70 ฿55.4

-10.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.09

$1.58 ฿51.2

1.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 MX$41.19

$1.32 ฿42.89

79.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 MX$49.20

$1.17 ฿38.01

141.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 MX$35.53

$0.67 ฿21.85

204.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 MX$20.44

$0.56 ฿18.21

108.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.10 MX$88.8

$4.53 ฿147

12.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.06 MX$123

$18.20 ฿592

-61.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 MX$42.66

$1.83 ฿59.6

33.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 MX$44.17

$3.23 ฿105

-21.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.68

$0.89 ฿28.83

-37.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 MX$41.13

$1.35 ฿43.95

74.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 MX$27.51

$1.35 ฿43.79

17.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.15 MX$142

$8.25 ฿268

-1.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.06

$1.27 ฿41.40

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

$20.6K MX$358.4K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

-2.64%

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

$23.4K MX$406.6K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

3.92%

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

$124 MX$2,152

$70.2 ฿2,281

76.32%

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

$15.89 MX$277

$13.77 ฿448

15.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.37 MX$424

$17.60 ฿572

38.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.11 MX$506

$41.57 ฿1,352

-29.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.81 MX$275

$6.60 ฿215

139.55%

Cinema Ticket

$3.85 MX$67.0

$5.78 ฿188

-33.39%

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

$53.1 MX$924

$306 ฿9,953

-82.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,556 MX$61.9K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-76.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.80 MX$849

$54.4 ฿1,768

-10.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.13 MX$489

$26.14 ฿850

7.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 MX$2,115

$84.5 ฿2,748

43.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 MX$2,228

$69.4 ฿2,257

84.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$713 MX$12.4K

$424 ฿13.8K

68.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 MX$7,077

$238 ฿7,743

70.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$934 MX$16.2K

$825 ฿26.8K

13.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$768 MX$13.4K

$515 ฿16.7K

49.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,704 MX$29.7K

$2,049 ฿66.6K

-16.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,252 MX$21.8K

$1,523 ฿49.5K

-17.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$398 MX$6,927

$635 ฿20.6K

-37.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.07

121.40%

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

Last update for Manzanillo: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $713 in Manzanillo versus $424 in Chiang Mai. 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 60% 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 $35.00 in Manzanillo versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $226 in Manzanillo vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Manzanillo 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

Manzanillo vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manzanillo costs about 38% 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 $1,766 per month in Manzanillo and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. 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 $35.00 in Manzanillo and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Manzanillo – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Manzanillo at $1,177. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manzanillo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,177 in Manzanillo. 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, Manzanillo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.