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 $941 per month in Tuxtla Gutierrez vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,514 per month in Tuxtla Gutierrez vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,087 per month in Tuxtla Gutierrez vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Tuxtla Gutierrez costs about 9% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tuxtla Gutierrez and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Tuxtla Gutierrez 30% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.24 MX$127

$1.96 ฿65.7

269.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.32 MX$320

$18.35 ฿616

-0.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.88 MX$120

$7.48 ฿251

-8.02%

Cappuccino

$3.58 MX$62.6

$2.02 ฿67.7

77.23%

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

$1.23 MX$21.43

$0.85 ฿28.45

44.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.36 ฿11.94

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 MX$45.77

$2.14 ฿71.7

22.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 MX$51.8

$3.59 ฿121

-17.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.94

$1.65 ฿55.4

-20.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 MX$40.87

$1.57 ฿52.6

49.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 MX$27.01

$1.19 ฿39.95

29.41%

Eggs

$2.35 MX$41.10

$1.94 ฿65.0

21.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.81 MX$416

$16.19 ฿544

47.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.92 MX$121

$2.99 ฿100

131.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 MX$189

$10.94 ฿367

-1.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 MX$44.94

$2.71 ฿91.0

-5.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 MX$20.10

$1.17 ฿39.18

-1.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 MX$48.53

$1.69 ฿56.6

64.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 MX$27.16

$1.60 ฿53.9

-3.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 MX$25.32

$1.38 ฿46.45

5.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 MX$36.88

$1.20 ฿40.38

75.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 MX$18.34

$0.67 ฿22.46

56.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.56 ฿18.70

-8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 MX$69.8

$4.64 ฿156

-14.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.53 MX$202

$17.62 ฿591

-34.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 MX$27.04

$1.86 ฿62.4

-16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 MX$49.18

$3.30 ฿111

-14.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.05

$0.88 ฿29.63

-40.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.99 MX$507

$19.34 ฿649

49.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 MX$46.69

$1.36 ฿45.82

96.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.63 MX$45.96

$1.34 ฿44.90

96.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.20 MX$90.9

$8.21 ฿276

-36.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.02

$1.22 ฿41.11

8.20%

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

$20.9K MX$365.8K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

-2.02%

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

$22.4K MX$392.3K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

-0.42%

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

$56.9 MX$995

$70.7 ฿2,372

-19.48%

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

$21.59 MX$378

$14.04 ฿471

53.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.47 MX$463

$17.49 ฿587

51.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.57 MX$867

$42.15 ฿1,415

17.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.04 MX$228

$6.88 ฿231

89.53%

Cinema Ticket

$5.80 MX$101

$5.92 ฿199

-2.03%

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

$206 MX$3,609

$309 ฿10.4K

-33.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,215 MX$38.7K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-85.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.54 MX$184

$55.8 ฿1,872

-81.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.02 MX$280

$26.11 ฿877

-38.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.0 MX$927

$83.0 ฿2,787

-36.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.29 MX$739

$70.5 ฿2,365

-39.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$312 MX$5,457

$432 ฿14.5K

-27.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 MX$3,987

$239 ฿8,020

-4.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$778 MX$13.6K

$822 ฿27.6K

-5.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$598 MX$10.5K

$512 ฿17.2K

16.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$511 MX$8,927

$579 ฿19.4K

-11.88%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $312 in Tuxtla Gutierrez versus $432 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 13% 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 $18.00 in Tuxtla Gutierrez versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $284 in Tuxtla Gutierrez vs $243 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 9% 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 $1,412 per month in Tuxtla Gutierrez and $1,292 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 $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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 $941 in Tuxtla Gutierrez and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $941 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.