Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tuxtla Gutierrez and Chiang Mai

For one person, living costs are similar in Tuxtla Gutierrez and in Chiang Mai: $915 and $938 a month, rent and utilities included.

Tuxtla Gutierrez
🇲🇽 Mexico
$915
/mo nomad
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$938
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tuxtla Gutierrez and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tuxtla Gutierrez and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $915 per month in Tuxtla Gutierrez vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Tuxtla Gutierrez $915
  • Chiang Mai $938

A couple spends around $1,529 per month in Tuxtla Gutierrez vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Tuxtla Gutierrez $1,529
  • Chiang Mai $1,426

A family of three spends $2,142 per month in Tuxtla Gutierrez vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

  • Tuxtla Gutierrez $2,142
  • Chiang Mai $1,914

Tuxtla Gutierrez is about 2% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Tuxtla Gutierrez and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Tuxtla Gutierrez 32% lower, Chiang Mai 30% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tuxtla Gutierrez
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.69 MX$124
$2.26 ฿75.4
196.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.09 MX$353
$19.18 ฿641
-0.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.30 MX$135
$5.59 ฿187
30.59%
Cappuccino
$3.87 MX$71.4
$1.72 ฿57.6
125.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 MX$25.53
$0.64 ฿21.54
115.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09 MX$20.08
$0.33 ฿11.18
230.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.16 MX$39.85
$2.36 ฿78.7
-8.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48 MX$45.86
$3.90 ฿130
-36.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tuxtla Gutierrez
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.55 MX$28.61
$2.05 ฿68.6
-24.39%
White Bread (500g)
$2.76 MX$51.1
$1.40 ฿46.70
97.14%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.75 MX$32.33
$1.28 ฿42.89
36.72%
Eggs
$2.61 MX$48.31
$2.25 ฿75.3
16.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.67 MX$345
$16.94 ฿566
10.21%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.96 MX$147
$2.74 ฿91.6
190.51%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.75 MX$199
$9.36 ฿313
14.85%
Apples (1kg)
$2.70 MX$49.81
$2.40 ฿80.3
12.50%
Banana (1kg)
$1.39 MX$25.64
$1.01 ฿33.92
37.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.53 MX$46.74
$1.61 ฿53.9
57.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.64 MX$30.34
$1.52 ฿50.7
7.89%
Potato (1kg)
$1.76 MX$32.54
$1.28 ฿42.90
37.50%
Onion (1kg)
$2.03 MX$37.46
$1.11 ฿37.22
82.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 MX$20.91
$0.72 ฿24.09
56.94%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.65 MX$12.06
$0.52 ฿17.54
25.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.51 MX$83.3
$4.33 ฿145
4.16%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.03 MX$204
$17.73 ฿593
-37.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.45 MX$26.76
$1.63 ฿54.4
-11.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.86 MX$71.4
$2.85 ฿95.3
35.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Tuxtla Gutierrez
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.53 MX$9.74
$0.85 ฿28.31
-37.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.17 MX$539
$53.9 ฿1,801
-45.88%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.70 MX$49.83
$1.17 ฿39.18
130.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.81 MX$52.0
$0.57 ฿19.00
392.98%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.18 MX$151
$2.37 ฿79.2
245.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 MX$26.87
$1.45 ฿48.32
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.3K MX$411.3K
$20.5K ฿684.3K
8.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.1K MX$463.4K
$26.5K ฿886.1K
-5.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tuxtla Gutierrez
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$24.62 MX$455
$62.3 ฿2,083
-60.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.22 MX$374
$12.27 ฿410
64.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.40 MX$469
$19.97 ฿668
27.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tuxtla Gutierrez
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.92 MX$775
$37.91 ฿1,267
10.58%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.75 MX$254
$3.76 ฿126
265.69%
Cinema Ticket
$5.90 MX$109
$6.71 ฿224
-12.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tuxtla Gutierrez
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$797 ฿26.6K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,297 MX$42.5K
$14.8K ฿495.7K
-84.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tuxtla Gutierrez
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$33.97 MX$628
$53.3 ฿1,780
-36.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$16.54 MX$306
$25.05 ฿837
-33.97%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$68.6 MX$1,267
$91.6 ฿3,062
-25.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$55.6 MX$1,028
$73.5 ฿2,455
-24.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tuxtla Gutierrez
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$330 MX$6,099
$464 ฿15.5K
-28.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$229 MX$4,240
$305 ฿10.2K
-24.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$821 MX$15.2K
$915 ฿30.6K
-10.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$608 MX$11.2K
$552 ฿18.5K
10.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$1,912 ฿63.9K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,438 ฿48.1K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tuxtla Gutierrez
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$501 MX$9,254
$595 ฿19.9K
-15.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
5.57
-

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

Last update for Tuxtla Gutierrez: October 10, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Tuxtla Gutierrez
$288
Chiang Mai
$238 17.2% $50
Accommodation & Living
Tuxtla Gutierrez
$229
Chiang Mai
$305 32.8% $75
Eating Out
Tuxtla Gutierrez
$147
Chiang Mai
$79 46.4% $68
Clothing & Footwear
Tuxtla Gutierrez
$79
Chiang Mai
$110 39.3% $31
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tuxtla Gutierrez
$70
Chiang Mai
$95 34.7% $24
Sport & Entertainment
Tuxtla Gutierrez
$54
Chiang Mai
$51 4.4% $2.4
Getting Around
Tuxtla Gutierrez
$48
Chiang Mai
$61 27.6% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $330 in Tuxtla Gutierrez versus $464 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 19% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $19.00 in Tuxtla Gutierrez versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $288 in Tuxtla Gutierrez vs $238 in Chiang Mai – so Chiang Mai wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Tuxtla Gutierrez
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🕒 Local time
01:12 1:12 AM
14:12 2:12 PM
13 h ahead of Tuxtla Gutierrez
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
578,830
127,240
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tuxtla Gutierrez Chiang Mai 15,850 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tuxtla Gutierrez
  • Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Which city is more expensive, Tuxtla Gutierrez or Chiang Mai?
Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Tuxtla Gutierrez, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 Tuxtla Gutierrez and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,373 per month in Tuxtla Gutierrez and $1,408 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Tuxtla Gutierrez or Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tuxtla Gutierrez, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How expensive is transport in Tuxtla Gutierrez compared to Chiang Mai?
Public transport costs about 85% less in Tuxtla Gutierrez. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Are groceries more expensive in Tuxtla Gutierrez or in Chiang Mai?
Interestingly, groceries are about 21% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Tuxtla Gutierrez or in Chiang Mai?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tuxtla Gutierrez, where all-in costs run around $915, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Tuxtla Gutierrez it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Tuxtla Gutierrez or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tuxtla Gutierrez costs $915 versus $938 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Tuxtla Gutierrez 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 Tuxtla Gutierrez or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Tuxtla Gutierrez. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Tuxtla Gutierrez vs other spots: cost of living compared

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