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 $1,315 per month in Manzanillo vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Manzanillo vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,353 per month in Manzanillo vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Manzanillo costs about 41% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Manzanillo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Manzanillo 4% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.56 MX$199

$2.08 ฿69.3

455.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.59 MX$613

$19.61 ฿653

81.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.71 MX$202

$5.67 ฿189

106.53%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$62.3

$1.81 ฿60.1

100.00%

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

$1.35 MX$23.18

$0.77 ฿25.58

75.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 MX$22.76

$0.35 ฿11.49

277.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.58 MX$44.49

$2.21 ฿73.7

16.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 MX$81.1

$3.79 ฿126

24.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 MX$25.57

$2.05 ฿68.2

-27.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 MX$48.83

$1.51 ฿50.4

88.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 MX$26.40

$1.40 ฿46.57

9.29%

Eggs

$2.27 MX$39.05

$2.26 ฿75.2

0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.03 MX$121

$16.19 ฿539

-56.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 MX$101

$2.90 ฿96.4

101.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.40 MX$196

$9.42 ฿314

21.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 MX$51.7

$2.68 ฿89.2

11.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.05

$1.09 ฿36.28

49.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 MX$27.83

$1.62 ฿53.8

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.03

$1.46 ฿48.61

11.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.65

$1.28 ฿42.54

111.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.11

$1.06 ฿35.21

75.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 MX$39.48

$0.72 ฿23.88

218.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 MX$24.35

$0.53 ฿17.51

166.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.19 MX$107

$4.23 ฿141

46.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.53 MX$199

$18.29 ฿609

-36.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 MX$42.47

$1.63 ฿54.3

51.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 MX$45.86

$2.90 ฿96.6

-8.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 MX$14.07

$0.88 ฿29.24

-6.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 MX$45.95

$1.17 ฿39.04

128.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 MX$46.95

$0.58 ฿19.25

370.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.82 MX$204

$2.39 ฿79.4

394.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MX$26.28

$1.45 ฿48.28

5.52%

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

$22.2K MX$382.1K

$21.0K ฿699.5K

5.62%

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

$25.9K MX$446.8K

$26.4K ฿879.7K

-1.80%

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

$69.6 MX$1,198

$63.7 ฿2,119

9.30%

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

$21.67 MX$373

$12.89 ฿429

68.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.28 MX$590

$20.52 ฿683

67.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.2 MX$1,192

$39.02 ฿1,299

77.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.61 MX$613

$3.92 ฿130

808.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.64 MX$79.9

$6.58 ฿219

-29.48%

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

$208 MX$3,580

$784 ฿26.1K

-73.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.15 MX$795

$55.1 ฿1,835

-16.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.86 MX$531

$24.74 ฿824

24.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 MX$1,434

$94.1 ฿3,133

-11.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 MX$2,470

$74.0 ฿2,462

93.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.2K

$490 ฿16.3K

44.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$486 MX$8,370

$288 ฿9,594

68.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,664 MX$28.6K

$891 ฿29.7K

86.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,450 MX$25.0K

$521 ฿17.3K

178.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$396 MX$6,818

$602 ฿20.0K

-34.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.57

102.87%

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

Last update for Manzanillo: September 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $709 in Manzanillo versus $490 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 52% 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 $36.00 in Manzanillo versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $261 vs $241 – 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

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

Manzanillo costs about 41% 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 $1,973 per month in Manzanillo and $1,398 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 $36.00 in Manzanillo and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Manzanillo, 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 $932, than in Manzanillo at $1,315. 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 $932 versus $1,315 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.