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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,239 per month in Tegucigalpa vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,782 per month in Tegucigalpa vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,324 per month in Tegucigalpa vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Tegucigalpa costs about 31% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tegucigalpa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Tegucigalpa 10% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tegucigalpa
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.31 HNL 196
$2.08 ฿69.2
251.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.32 HNL 867
$19.64 ฿651
64.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.64 HNL 205
$5.65 ฿188
35.22%
Cappuccino
$2.16 HNL 57.9
$1.81 ฿59.9
19.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 HNL 27.71
$0.71 ฿23.66
45.07%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.00 HNL 26.92
$0.32 ฿10.48
212.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.15 HNL 30.79
$2.24 ฿74.2
-48.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05 HNL 81.7
$3.63 ฿121
-15.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tegucigalpa
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.35 HNL 36.24
$1.96 ฿65.0
-31.12%
White Bread (500g)
$1.89 HNL 50.6
$1.50 ฿49.83
26.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.30 HNL 34.96
$1.34 ฿44.32
-2.99%
Eggs
$1.73 HNL 46.51
$2.26 ฿75.1
-23.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.70 HNL 180
$16.26 ฿539
-58.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.68 HNL 152
$2.95 ฿98.0
92.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.01 HNL 242
$9.94 ฿330
-9.36%
Apples (1kg)
$3.58 HNL 96.0
$2.57 ฿85.3
39.30%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 HNL 42.07
$1.06 ฿35.04
48.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.12 HNL 57.0
$1.61 ฿53.5
31.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.01 HNL 53.9
$1.52 ฿50.4
32.24%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 HNL 49.52
$1.27 ฿42.14
45.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.98 HNL 53.2
$1.07 ฿35.37
85.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 HNL 28.82
$0.72 ฿23.89
48.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.01 HNL 27.16
$0.51 ฿16.87
98.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.90 HNL 77.9
$4.19 ฿139
-30.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.55 HNL 256
$17.87 ฿593
-46.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.48 HNL 39.62
$1.69 ฿56.2
-12.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 HNL 53.4
$2.84 ฿94.1
-29.93%
🚌 Getting Around
Tegucigalpa
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.07 HNL 28.68
$0.93 ฿30.70
15.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$53.9 ฿1,787
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.74 HNL 100
$1.23 ฿40.95
204.07%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.96 HNL 52.7
$0.58 ฿19.13
237.93%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.61 HNL 124
$2.42 ฿80.4
90.50%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.15 HNL 30.77
$1.41 ฿46.84
-18.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.5K HNL 523.9K
$21.4K ฿711.3K
-8.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.1K HNL 592.9K
$27.3K ฿906.7K
-19.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tegucigalpa
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$143 HNL 3,825
$63.7 ฿2,112
123.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.68 HNL 609
$12.85 ฿426
76.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.08 HNL 914
$20.22 ฿671
68.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tegucigalpa
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.14 HNL 996
$38.74 ฿1,285
-4.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.61 HNL 392
$3.97 ฿132
268.01%
Cinema Ticket
$5.71 HNL 153
$6.74 ฿223
-15.28%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tegucigalpa
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$221 HNL 5,920
$778 ฿25.8K
-71.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,567 HNL 176.2K
$14.6K ฿484.6K
-55.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tegucigalpa
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.9 HNL 1,418
$54.3 ฿1,801
-2.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.79 HNL 1,309
$25.45 ฿844
91.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 HNL 2,772
$94.3 ฿3,129
9.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 HNL 2,908
$73.4 ฿2,436
47.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tegucigalpa
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$446 HNL 12.0K
$490 ฿16.2K
-8.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$474 HNL 12.7K
$289 ฿9,596
63.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,204 HNL 32.3K
$894 ฿29.6K
34.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$746 HNL 20.0K
$517 ฿17.1K
44.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,781 HNL 74.6K
$1,955 ฿64.9K
42.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,552 HNL 41.6K
$1,477 ฿49.0K
5.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tegucigalpa
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$606 HNL 16.3K
$602 ฿20.0K
0.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.38
5.57
104.31%

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

Last update for Tegucigalpa: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $446 in Tegucigalpa 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 1% higher in Tegucigalpa, 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 $32.00 in Tegucigalpa versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $222 in Tegucigalpa vs $240 in Chiang Mai – so Tegucigalpa 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
Tegucigalpa vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Tegucigalpa or Chiang Mai?
Tegucigalpa costs about 31% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Tegucigalpa and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,859 per month in Tegucigalpa and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Tegucigalpa or Chiang Mai?
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.
How do dining costs compare in Tegucigalpa and in Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Tegucigalpa and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Tegucigalpa or in Chiang Mai?
Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Tegucigalpa – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Tegucigalpa or in Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Tegucigalpa at $1,239. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tegucigalpa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Tegucigalpa or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,239 in Tegucigalpa. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Tegucigalpa compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Tegucigalpa or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tegucigalpa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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