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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,196 per month in Tlalnepantla vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,069 per month in Tlalnepantla vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,942 per month in Tlalnepantla vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Tlalnepantla costs about 26% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tlalnepantla and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Tlalnepantla 13% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$204

$2.08 ฿68.5

482.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.73 MX$755

$19.64 ฿646

127.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.86 MX$183

$5.65 ฿186

92.21%

Cappuccino

$4.04 MX$68.2

$1.81 ฿59.3

123.20%

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

$1.73 MX$29.19

$0.71 ฿23.44

143.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.47

$0.32 ฿10.38

240.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 MX$55.9

$2.24 ฿73.5

47.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 MX$102

$3.63 ฿119

66.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 MX$27.05

$1.96 ฿64.4

-18.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.24 MX$54.6

$1.50 ฿49.38

116.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 MX$33.89

$1.34 ฿43.92

50.00%

Eggs

$2.98 MX$50.2

$2.26 ฿74.4

31.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.85 MX$166

$16.26 ฿534

-39.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.21 MX$172

$2.95 ฿97.1

246.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.20 MX$273

$9.94 ฿327

62.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 MX$58.1

$2.57 ฿84.5

33.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$28.79

$1.06 ฿34.72

61.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.20

$1.61 ฿53.0

29.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 MX$41.23

$1.52 ฿49.96

60.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$36.42

$1.27 ฿41.76

70.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 MX$31.95

$1.07 ฿35.05

76.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MX$20.35

$0.72 ฿23.67

68.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 MX$23.95

$0.51 ฿16.72

178.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 MX$78.9

$4.19 ฿138

11.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.50 MX$295

$17.87 ฿587

-2.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 MX$35.66

$1.69 ฿55.7

24.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 MX$70.5

$2.84 ฿93.2

46.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 MX$20.62

$0.93 ฿30.42

31.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.02 MX$439

$53.9 ฿1,770

-51.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 MX$66.2

$1.23 ฿40.58

218.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 MX$30.26

$0.58 ฿18.96

208.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.80 MX$98.0

$2.42 ฿79.7

139.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 MX$26.31

$1.41 ฿46.42

10.64%

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

$22.5K MX$379.6K

$21.4K ฿704.9K

4.88%

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

$25.7K MX$433.8K

$27.3K ฿898.5K

-5.97%

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

$45.26 MX$764

$63.7 ฿2,093

-28.91%

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

$30.53 MX$515

$12.85 ฿423

137.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.85 MX$723

$20.22 ฿665

111.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.99 MX$675

$38.74 ฿1,274

3.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.61 MX$382

$3.97 ฿130

469.52%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$119

$6.74 ฿221

4.45%

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

$178 MX$3,004

$778 ฿25.6K

-77.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,015 MX$84.6K

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-65.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.25 MX$798

$54.3 ฿1,785

-12.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.6 MX$939

$25.45 ฿836

118.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.3 MX$1,541

$94.3 ฿3,101

-3.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MX$1,853

$73.4 ฿2,414

49.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 MX$8,342

$490 ฿16.1K

0.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 MX$4,928

$289 ฿9,510

0.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$672 MX$11.3K

$894 ฿29.4K

-24.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$859 MX$14.5K

$517 ฿17.0K

66.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,832 MX$30.9K

$1,955 ฿64.3K

-6.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,273 MX$21.5K

$1,477 ฿48.5K

-13.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,039 MX$17.5K

$602 ฿19.8K

72.56%

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 Tlalnepantla: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $494 in Tlalnepantla 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 73% higher in Tlalnepantla, 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 $45.00 in Tlalnepantla versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $240 – 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

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

Tlalnepantla costs about 26% 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 $1,794 per month in Tlalnepantla and $1,421 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.

Kindergarten costs $178 per month in Tlalnepantla and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Tlalnepantla, 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 $947, than in Tlalnepantla at $1,196. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tlalnepantla it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,196 in Tlalnepantla. 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, Tlalnepantla makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.