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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $764 per month in Zacapoaxtla vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,231 per month in Zacapoaxtla vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,698 per month in Zacapoaxtla vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Zacapoaxtla is about 12% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Zacapoaxtla and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Zacapoaxtla 43% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.38 MX$76.4

$1.98 ฿65.0

121.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.46 MX$375

$18.80 ฿619

14.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 MX$93.5

$7.75 ฿255

-30.84%

Cappuccino

$2.49 MX$43.48

$1.92 ฿63.2

29.69%

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

$0.99 MX$17.31

$0.79 ฿26.07

25.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.75

$0.36 ฿11.74

197.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.26 MX$21.91

$2.21 ฿72.9

-42.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 MX$33.68

$3.66 ฿120

-47.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 MX$21.69

$1.65 ฿54.4

-24.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 MX$24.21

$1.63 ฿53.7

-14.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 MX$25.86

$1.19 ฿39.28

24.37%

Eggs

$2.28 MX$39.84

$2.00 ฿65.8

14.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.20 MX$55.8

$15.98 ฿526

-79.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.67 MX$81.4

$3.03 ฿99.6

54.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.61 MX$80.5

$10.86 ฿357

-57.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 MX$21.93

$2.76 ฿90.9

-54.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 MX$18.03

$1.18 ฿38.83

-12.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.56 MX$9.79

$1.64 ฿54.0

-65.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 MX$17.61

$1.52 ฿50.0

-33.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 MX$14.00

$1.38 ฿45.59

-42.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 MX$18.23

$1.19 ฿39.25

-12.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 MX$19.44

$0.70 ฿23.11

58.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$16.08

$0.56 ฿18.32

64.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MX$72.7

$4.58 ฿151

-8.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.59 MX$237

$16.56 ฿545

-17.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.60

$1.83 ฿60.2

-38.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 MX$27.46

$3.20 ฿105

-50.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MX$11.92

$0.88 ฿28.87

-22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.11 MX$735

$18.72 ฿616

124.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.26

$1.36 ฿44.64

-2.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$1.34 ฿44.12

-79.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.29 MX$92.3

$7.84 ฿258

-32.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$22.37

$1.23 ฿40.35

4.07%

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

$13.5K MX$236.5K

$21.6K ฿711.8K

-37.34%

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

$23.7K MX$414.4K

$22.5K ฿742.2K

5.31%

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

$40.25 MX$703

$70.5 ฿2,322

-42.94%

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

$26.22 MX$458

$13.68 ฿450

91.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.10 MX$525

$17.45 ฿574

72.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.37 MX$617

$41.33 ฿1,361

-14.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.01 MX$279

$6.96 ฿229

130.03%

Cinema Ticket

$2.61 MX$45.59

$5.77 ฿190

-54.77%

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

$209 MX$3,650

$307 ฿10.1K

-31.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,626 MX$63.3K

$14.6K ฿481.0K

-75.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.20 MX$318

$55.8 ฿1,837

-67.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.46 MX$410

$26.21 ฿863

-10.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$42.14 MX$736

$85.8 ฿2,823

-50.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.82 MX$608

$72.2 ฿2,378

-51.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 MX$8,673

$430 ฿14.1K

15.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 MX$4,305

$239 ฿7,857

3.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$987 MX$17.2K

$817 ฿26.9K

20.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 MX$10.3K

$511 ฿16.8K

15.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,928 MX$33.6K

$1,983 ฿65.3K

-2.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,288 MX$22.5K

$1,484 ฿48.9K

-13.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$630 MX$11.0K

$619 ฿20.4K

1.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

126.80%

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

Last update for Zacapoaxtla: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $497 in Zacapoaxtla versus $430 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 2% higher in Zacapoaxtla, 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 Zacapoaxtla versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $164 in Zacapoaxtla vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Zacapoaxtla 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Zacapoaxtla, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,146 per month in Zacapoaxtla and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zacapoaxtla, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $209 per month in Zacapoaxtla and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% more in Chiang Mai, 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 $764 in Zacapoaxtla and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Zacapoaxtla costs $764 versus $869 in Chiang Mai. 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 Zacapoaxtla. 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.