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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,480 per month in Barranquilla vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,301 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,122 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Barranquilla costs about 56% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Barranquilla sits 8% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.43 COP 26.6K

$2.08 ฿69.4

305.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 COP 197.2K

$19.64 ฿654

218.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.66 COP 40.0K

$5.65 ฿188

124.07%

Cappuccino

$2.78 COP 8,783

$1.81 ฿60.1

53.59%

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

$1.34 COP 4,215

$0.71 ฿23.75

88.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 COP 4,084

$0.32 ฿10.52

303.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.05 COP 12.8K

$2.24 ฿74.5

80.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 COP 25.1K

$3.63 ฿121

118.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 COP 2,780

$1.96 ฿65.2

-55.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 COP 4,045

$1.50 ฿50.0

-14.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,106

$1.34 ฿44.49

20.90%

Eggs

$2.10 COP 6,612

$2.26 ฿75.4

-7.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.97 COP 15.7K

$16.26 ฿541

-69.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 COP 56.6K

$2.95 ฿98.4

508.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.12 COP 22.5K

$9.94 ฿331

-28.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 COP 7,160

$2.57 ฿85.7

-11.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 COP 2,933

$1.06 ฿35.18

-12.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 COP 1,904

$1.61 ฿53.7

-62.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 COP 5,841

$1.52 ฿50.6

21.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 COP 3,943

$1.27 ฿42.30

-1.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 COP 3,089

$1.07 ฿35.51

-8.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 COP 3,950

$0.72 ฿23.98

73.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 COP 2,947

$0.51 ฿16.94

82.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 COP 16.1K

$4.19 ฿140

21.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 COP 40.6K

$17.87 ฿595

-28.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 COP 4,855

$1.69 ฿56.4

-8.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 COP 15.4K

$2.84 ฿94.5

71.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 COP 3,800

$0.93 ฿30.82

29.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,794

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 COP 10.9K

$1.23 ฿41.11

181.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 COP 10.2K

$0.58 ฿19.20

455.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.59 COP 49.2K

$2.42 ฿80.7

544.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 COP 4,230

$1.41 ฿47.03

-4.96%

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

$22.1K COP 69.7M

$21.4K ฿714.1K

2.96%

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

$29.2K COP 92.2M

$27.3K ฿910.2K

6.90%

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

$151 COP 475.8K

$63.7 ฿2,120

136.81%

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

$14.54 COP 45.9K

$12.85 ฿428

13.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.67 COP 103.1K

$20.22 ฿673

61.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.51 COP 108.9K

$38.74 ฿1,290

-10.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿132

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 COP 15.2K

$6.74 ฿224

-28.49%

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

$323 COP 1.0M

$778 ฿25.9K

-58.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,682 COP 14.8M

$14.6K ฿486.5K

-67.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 COP 353.1K

$54.3 ฿1,808

106.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.13 COP 148.7K

$25.45 ฿847

85.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$190 COP 599.2K

$94.3 ฿3,141

101.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$255 COP 804.8K

$73.4 ฿2,446

247.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 COP 2.5M

$490 ฿16.3K

62.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 COP 1.6M

$289 ฿9,634

73.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$806 COP 2.5M

$894 ฿29.8K

-9.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$915 COP 2.9M

$517 ฿17.2K

77.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,882 COP 5.9M

$1,955 ฿65.1K

-3.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 COP 2.0M

$1,477 ฿49.2K

-56.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$513 COP 1.6M

$602 ฿20.0K

-14.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

79.53%

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

Last update for Barranquilla: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $794 in Barranquilla versus $490 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 17% 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 $63.0 in Barranquilla versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $256 vs $240 – 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

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

Barranquilla costs about 56% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,220 per month in Barranquilla and $1,421 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,480 in Barranquilla and $947 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $323 per month in Barranquilla and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Barranquilla at $1,480. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barranquilla it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,480 in Barranquilla. 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, Barranquilla makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.