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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $806 per month in Zacatecas vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,275 per month in Zacatecas vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,744 per month in Zacatecas vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Zacatecas is about 15% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zacatecas and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Zacatecas 42% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.90 MX$117

$2.10 ฿69.3

228.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.73 MX$589

$19.84 ฿656

75.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 MX$133

$5.79 ฿191

35.23%

Cappuccino

$3.23 MX$54.8

$1.83 ฿60.4

76.50%

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

$1.38 MX$23.34

$0.78 ฿25.61

76.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 MX$13.28

$0.31 ฿10.37

151.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$2.34 ฿77.2

-9.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 MX$77.2

$3.70 ฿122

22.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$2.03 ฿67.1

-23.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 MX$39.19

$1.60 ฿52.7

44.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 MX$29.34

$1.42 ฿46.75

21.83%

Eggs

$2.39 MX$40.62

$2.18 ฿71.9

9.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 MX$134

$15.91 ฿526

-50.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 MX$108

$3.07 ฿102

107.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.37 MX$176

$9.87 ฿326

5.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 MX$33.35

$2.63 ฿86.8

-25.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.01

$1.10 ฿36.19

60.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 MX$37.55

$1.63 ฿53.8

35.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 MX$26.15

$1.53 ฿50.6

0.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.46

$1.24 ฿41.13

68.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.22

$1.13 ฿37.37

68.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 MX$26.15

$0.74 ฿24.38

108.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.56

$0.50 ฿16.48

84.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.76 MX$80.8

$4.28 ฿141

11.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.57 MX$196

$17.97 ฿594

-35.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 MX$30.69

$1.70 ฿56.1

6.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 MX$60.0

$2.90 ฿95.7

21.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 MX$9.03

$0.94 ฿31.13

-43.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.84 MX$303

$55.3 ฿1,827

-67.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 MX$41.11

$1.23 ฿40.76

96.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 MX$20.22

$0.53 ฿17.66

124.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.89 MX$219

$2.40 ฿79.3

437.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MX$27.01

$1.44 ฿47.55

10.42%

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

$23.3K MX$395.6K

$21.2K ฿700.2K

10.03%

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

$25.7K MX$435.4K

$27.3K ฿902.1K

-6.00%

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

$24.89 MX$422

$64.9 ฿2,145

-61.67%

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

$9.09 MX$154

$13.35 ฿441

-31.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.23 MX$462

$20.83 ฿688

30.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.38 MX$448

$40.42 ฿1,336

-34.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.77 MX$149

$3.95 ฿131

122.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.56 MX$77.3

$6.71 ฿222

-32.04%

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

$278 MX$4,720

$787 ฿26.0K

-64.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,489 MX$59.2K

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-76.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.51 MX$823

$56.2 ฿1,858

-13.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.71 MX$775

$24.95 ฿824

83.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 MX$1,647

$92.7 ฿3,063

4.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.93 MX$796

$75.1 ฿2,482

-37.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 MX$4,435

$484 ฿16.0K

-45.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 MX$2,979

$287 ฿9,491

-38.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$414 MX$7,020

$910 ฿30.1K

-54.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$264 MX$4,486

$531 ฿17.5K

-50.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$617 MX$10.5K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

-57.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$452 MX$7,667

$605 ฿20.0K

-25.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.8

5.57

93.90%

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

Last update for Zacatecas: September 5, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $261 in Zacatecas versus $484 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 34% 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 $35.00 in Zacatecas versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $245 vs $242 – 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 18% more than Zacatecas, 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 $1,208 per month in Zacatecas and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $278 per month in Zacatecas and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Zacatecas, where all-in costs run around $806, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Zacatecas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Zacatecas costs $806 versus $950 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 Zacatecas. 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.