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 $998 per month in Tuxtla Gutierrez vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,637 per month in Tuxtla Gutierrez vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,277 per month in Tuxtla Gutierrez vs $1,874 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 27% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.00 MX$119

$2.08 ฿69.2

236.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.79 MX$353

$19.64 ฿651

5.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 MX$133

$5.65 ฿188

38.23%

Cappuccino

$4.16 MX$70.7

$1.81 ฿59.9

129.83%

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

$1.49 MX$25.30

$0.71 ฿23.66

109.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.39

$0.32 ฿10.48

275.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 MX$40.47

$2.24 ฿74.2

6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 MX$45.61

$3.63 ฿121

-25.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.96 ฿65.0

-12.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 MX$48.39

$1.50 ฿49.83

90.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 MX$30.93

$1.34 ฿44.32

35.82%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.84

$2.26 ฿75.1

24.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.12 MX$342

$16.26 ฿539

23.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.60 MX$146

$2.95 ฿98.0

191.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.99 MX$204

$9.94 ฿330

20.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MX$47.28

$2.57 ฿85.3

8.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.45

$1.06 ฿35.04

41.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 MX$45.77

$1.61 ฿53.5

67.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.23

$1.52 ฿50.4

17.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$31.77

$1.27 ฿42.14

47.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.12

$1.07 ฿35.37

104.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MX$20.62

$0.72 ฿23.89

68.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 MX$12.32

$0.51 ฿16.87

43.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.91 MX$83.4

$4.19 ฿139

17.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.89 MX$202

$17.87 ฿593

-33.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 MX$26.31

$1.69 ฿56.2

-8.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 MX$68.7

$2.84 ฿94.1

42.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 MX$10.39

$0.93 ฿30.70

-34.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.94 MX$525

$53.9 ฿1,787

-42.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 MX$48.48

$1.23 ฿40.95

131.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.92 MX$49.58

$0.58 ฿19.13

403.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.90 MX$151

$2.42 ฿80.4

267.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MX$26.00

$1.41 ฿46.84

8.51%

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

$24.0K MX$407.5K

$21.4K ฿711.3K

11.91%

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

$27.0K MX$458.1K

$27.3K ฿906.7K

-1.32%

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

$26.41 MX$449

$63.7 ฿2,112

-58.52%

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

$21.19 MX$360

$12.85 ฿426

64.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.58 MX$468

$20.22 ฿671

36.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.97 MX$781

$38.74 ฿1,285

18.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.80 MX$251

$3.97 ฿132

272.80%

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 MX$111

$6.74 ฿223

-2.82%

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

$778 ฿25.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,428 MX$41.2K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-83.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.84 MX$626

$54.3 ฿1,801

-32.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.95 MX$305

$25.45 ฿844

-29.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.3 MX$1,244

$94.3 ฿3,129

-22.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.4 MX$991

$73.4 ฿2,436

-20.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$348 MX$5,906

$490 ฿16.2K

-28.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$245 MX$4,167

$289 ฿9,596

-15.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$876 MX$14.9K

$894 ฿29.6K

-1.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$656 MX$11.1K

$517 ฿17.1K

26.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿49.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$544 MX$9,231

$602 ฿20.0K

-9.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Tuxtla Gutierrez: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $348 in Tuxtla Gutierrez 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 11% 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 $21.00 in Tuxtla Gutierrez versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $309 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

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 $1,497 per month in Tuxtla Gutierrez 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.

Public transport costs about 74% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 29% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Tuxtla Gutierrez at $998. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tuxtla Gutierrez it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $998 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.