Cost of Living Comparison Between Tuxtla Gutierrez and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Tuxtla Gutierrez and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $911 per month in Tuxtla Gutierrez vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,520 per month in Tuxtla Gutierrez vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,130 per month in Tuxtla Gutierrez vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Tuxtla Gutierrez costs about 5% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tuxtla Gutierrez and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Tuxtla Gutierrez 32% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.05 MX$122

$1.94 ฿63.5

263.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.74 MX$324

$18.64 ฿609

0.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.98 MX$121

$7.82 ฿255

-10.74%

Cappuccino

$3.63 MX$62.7

$1.95 ฿63.8

86.15%

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

$1.18 MX$20.38

$0.85 ฿27.77

38.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.14

$0.35 ฿11.58

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 MX$46.40

$2.13 ฿69.6

25.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 MX$51.7

$3.73 ฿122

-19.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.27

$1.71 ฿56.0

-24.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 MX$40.35

$1.63 ฿53.2

42.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.88

$1.14 ฿37.15

41.23%

Eggs

$2.34 MX$40.44

$1.93 ฿63.1

21.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.92 MX$414

$16.21 ฿530

47.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 MX$120

$3.12 ฿102

122.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.78 MX$186

$10.90 ฿356

-1.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 MX$44.57

$2.75 ฿90.0

-6.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 MX$19.77

$1.21 ฿39.52

-5.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 MX$49.81

$1.62 ฿53.0

77.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 MX$27.69

$1.59 ฿51.8

0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 MX$26.27

$1.40 ฿45.70

8.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.12

$1.17 ฿38.17

78.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 MX$18.09

$0.66 ฿21.60

59.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MX$8.72

$0.53 ฿17.22

-5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 MX$69.8

$4.69 ฿153

-13.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.61 MX$201

$18.66 ฿609

-37.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 MX$27.52

$1.80 ฿58.8

-11.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 MX$48.81

$3.23 ฿106

-12.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.46

$0.90 ฿29.26

-38.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.64 MX$495

$19.21 ฿628

49.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 MX$46.73

$1.41 ฿45.91

91.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.28

$1.29 ฿42.12

93.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 MX$93.5

$7.84 ฿256

-30.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.77

$1.27 ฿41.58

3.94%

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

$20.9K MX$361.1K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-1.89%

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

$22.8K MX$394.3K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

2.63%

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

$55.7 MX$963

$69.1 ฿2,256

-19.40%

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

$22.05 MX$381

$14.08 ฿460

56.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.95 MX$449

$18.00 ฿588

44.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.43 MX$838

$41.06 ฿1,341

17.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.24 MX$229

$6.96 ฿227

90.23%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 MX$102

$5.92 ฿193

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

$206 MX$3,561

$299 ฿9,766

-31.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,186 MX$37.8K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-85.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.69 MX$185

$54.7 ฿1,787

-80.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.78 MX$273

$26.77 ฿874

-41.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.3 MX$922

$85.0 ฿2,776

-37.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.98 MX$743

$70.6 ฿2,306

-39.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$320 MX$5,542

$428 ฿14.0K

-25.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$229 MX$3,966

$237 ฿7,752

-3.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$790 MX$13.7K

$801 ฿26.2K

-1.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 MX$10.3K

$515 ฿16.8K

15.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 MX$9,202

$617 ฿20.2K

-13.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

130.00%

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

Last update for Tuxtla Gutierrez: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $320 in Tuxtla Gutierrez versus $428 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 16% 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 $19.00 in Tuxtla Gutierrez versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $286 in Tuxtla Gutierrez vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Chiang Mai 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

Tuxtla Gutierrez vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tuxtla Gutierrez costs about 5% 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 $1,366 per month in Tuxtla Gutierrez and $1,300 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 $206 per month in Tuxtla Gutierrez and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Tuxtla Gutierrez, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $911 in Tuxtla Gutierrez and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $911 in Tuxtla Gutierrez. 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, Tuxtla Gutierrez makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.