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 $1,192 per month in Manzanillo vs $905 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,515 per month in Manzanillo vs $1,374 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,837 per month in Manzanillo vs $1,843 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Manzanillo costs about 32% 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 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.48 MX$198

$2.08 ฿69.2

451.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.06 MX$605

$19.52 ฿649

79.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.44 MX$197

$5.94 ฿197

92.59%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$62.4

$1.70 ฿56.6

112.94%

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

$1.35 MX$23.35

$0.72 ฿23.90

87.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 MX$21.70

$0.32 ฿10.78

293.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 MX$45.22

$2.44 ฿81.2

7.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 MX$97.3

$3.66 ฿122

54.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.48

$1.86 ฿61.7

-23.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 MX$46.61

$1.56 ฿51.8

73.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MX$24.95

$1.33 ฿44.17

9.02%

Eggs

$2.13 MX$36.75

$2.16 ฿71.8

-1.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.15 MX$123

$15.58 ฿518

-54.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.91 MX$102

$2.85 ฿94.6

107.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.25 MX$177

$10.39 ฿345

-1.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 MX$45.50

$2.44 ฿80.9

8.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.07

$1.09 ฿36.18

44.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 MX$27.66

$1.47 ฿48.84

8.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 MX$30.31

$1.49 ฿49.54

18.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 MX$46.21

$1.20 ฿39.83

123.33%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 MX$52.9

$1.09 ฿36.07

181.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 MX$39.08

$0.69 ฿22.85

227.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 MX$25.01

$0.51 ฿17.07

184.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 MX$103

$4.37 ฿145

36.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.06 MX$122

$16.63 ฿553

-57.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 MX$41.26

$1.65 ฿54.7

44.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 MX$47.61

$2.74 ฿91.1

0.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 MX$13.91

$0.94 ฿31.34

-13.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.7 ฿1,819

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 MX$44.31

$1.23 ฿40.76

108.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 MX$46.23

$0.57 ฿19.05

370.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.72 MX$202

$2.36 ฿78.4

396.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 MX$26.94

$1.45 ฿48.15

7.59%

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

$22.5K MX$388.0K

$20.8K ฿692.6K

7.89%

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

$25.0K MX$431.7K

$26.3K ฿872.9K

-4.75%

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

$70.4 MX$1,215

$62.3 ฿2,071

13.00%

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

$22.90 MX$395

$13.01 ฿432

76.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.90 MX$464

$19.45 ฿646

38.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.6 MX$1,183

$38.68 ฿1,285

77.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.66 MX$598

$3.86 ฿128

797.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 MX$74.0

$6.62 ฿220

-35.20%

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

$201 MX$3,476

$782 ฿26.0K

-74.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿491.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.02 MX$811

$54.1 ฿1,796

-13.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.58 MX$528

$25.39 ฿844

20.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 MX$1,442

$90.9 ฿3,022

-8.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 MX$2,447

$74.0 ฿2,458

91.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$701 MX$12.1K

$476 ฿15.8K

47.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 MX$6,959

$275 ฿9,131

46.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$881 ฿29.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$528 ฿17.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,989 ฿66.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,476 ฿49.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$409 MX$7,060

$598 ฿19.9K

-31.57%

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: August 3, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $701 in Manzanillo versus $476 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 46% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $234 – 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 32% 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 $1,788 per month in Manzanillo and $1,358 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 $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 6% 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 $905, than in Manzanillo at $1,192. 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 $905 versus $1,192 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.