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 $938 per month in Zacatecas vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,518 per month in Zacatecas vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,098 per month in Zacatecas vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Zacatecas costs about 8% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zacatecas and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Zacatecas 30% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.26 MX$108

$1.94 ฿63.5

222.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.34 MX$542

$18.64 ฿609

68.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.13 MX$123

$7.82 ฿255

-8.82%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MX$51.5

$1.95 ฿63.8

52.82%

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

$1.22 MX$21.06

$0.85 ฿27.77

43.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 MX$12.78

$0.35 ฿11.58

111.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 MX$32.64

$2.13 ฿69.6

-11.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 MX$67.3

$3.73 ฿122

4.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.22

$1.71 ฿56.0

-21.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$37.22

$1.63 ฿53.2

31.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.73

$1.14 ฿37.15

35.96%

Eggs

$2.19 MX$37.93

$1.93 ฿63.1

13.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.15 MX$124

$16.21 ฿530

-55.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.73 MX$99.1

$3.12 ฿102

83.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.91 MX$154

$10.90 ฿356

-18.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.55

$2.75 ฿90.0

-37.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 MX$26.23

$1.21 ฿39.52

25.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.12

$1.62 ฿53.0

14.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 MX$24.04

$1.59 ฿51.8

-12.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.18

$1.40 ฿45.70

24.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 MX$33.80

$1.17 ฿38.17

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 MX$22.93

$0.66 ฿21.60

101.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.32

$0.53 ฿17.22

56.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.6

$4.69 ฿153

-10.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 MX$193

$18.66 ฿609

-40.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.80 ฿58.8

-8.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 MX$57.0

$3.23 ฿106

2.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.05

$0.90 ฿29.26

-42.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.12 MX$279

$19.21 ฿628

-16.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MX$35.69

$1.41 ฿45.91

46.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 MX$16.34

$1.29 ฿42.12

-27.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.49 MX$199

$7.84 ฿256

46.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.39

$1.27 ฿41.58

1.57%

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

$24.0K MX$415.7K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

12.95%

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

$23.6K MX$409.0K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

6.46%

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

$22.34 MX$386

$69.1 ฿2,256

-67.66%

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

$7.74 MX$134

$14.08 ฿460

-45.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.97 MX$432

$18.00 ฿588

38.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.61 MX$408

$41.06 ฿1,341

-42.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.08 MX$140

$6.96 ฿227

16.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.11 MX$71.1

$5.92 ฿193

-30.57%

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

$191 MX$3,304

$299 ฿9,766

-36.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,154 MX$54.6K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-78.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.97 MX$761

$54.7 ฿1,787

-19.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.04 MX$727

$26.77 ฿874

57.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 MX$1,503

$85.0 ฿2,776

2.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.14 MX$729

$70.6 ฿2,306

-40.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 MX$4,151

$428 ฿14.0K

-43.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,796

$237 ฿7,752

65.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 MX$6,293

$801 ฿26.2K

-54.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 MX$13.3K

$515 ฿16.8K

49.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$603 MX$10.4K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-59.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$910 MX$15.7K

$617 ฿20.2K

47.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

129.60%

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

Last update for Zacatecas: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $240 in Zacatecas versus $428 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 47% higher in Zacatecas, 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 $31.00 in Zacatecas versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $220 in Zacatecas vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Zacatecas 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

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

Zacatecas costs about 8% 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 $1,408 per month in Zacatecas and $1,300 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 $191 per month in Zacatecas and $299 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 12% cheaper in Zacatecas – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $938 in Zacatecas and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $938 in Zacatecas. 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, Zacatecas makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.