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 $850 per month in Barranquilla vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,852 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Barranquilla is about 1% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.79 COP 15.6K

$1.96 ฿65.7

144.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.41 COP 102.1K

$18.35 ฿616

71.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 COP 23.8K

$7.48 ฿251

-2.27%

Cappuccino

$1.76 COP 5,718

$2.02 ฿67.7

-12.87%

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

$0.85 COP 2,761

$0.85 ฿28.45

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 2,096

$0.36 ฿11.94

77.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 COP 4,378

$2.14 ฿71.7

-36.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 COP 6,132

$3.59 ฿121

-47.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,216

$1.65 ฿55.4

-40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,107

$1.57 ฿52.6

-19.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,477

$1.19 ฿39.95

-10.08%

Eggs

$2.06 COP 6,709

$1.94 ฿65.0

6.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.70 COP 15.3K

$16.19 ฿544

-70.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 COP 16.9K

$2.99 ฿100

73.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.15 COP 23.3K

$10.94 ฿367

-34.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 COP 9,330

$2.71 ฿91.0

5.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,394

$1.17 ฿39.18

15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,919

$1.69 ฿56.6

-10.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.82 COP 2,676

$1.60 ฿53.9

-48.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 COP 3,084

$1.38 ฿46.45

-31.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 COP 4,653

$1.20 ฿40.38

19.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 COP 2,795

$0.67 ฿22.46

28.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 COP 1,868

$0.56 ฿18.70

1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.73 COP 8,890

$4.64 ฿156

-41.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.25 COP 36.6K

$17.62 ฿591

-36.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,963

$1.86 ฿62.4

-51.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 COP 4,346

$3.30 ฿111

-59.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 COP 2,319

$0.88 ฿29.63

-19.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.39 COP 105.3K

$19.34 ฿649

67.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 COP 6,236

$1.36 ฿45.82

41.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.96 COP 9,614

$1.34 ฿44.90

120.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 COP 16.1K

$8.21 ฿276

-39.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 COP 3,262

$1.22 ฿41.11

-18.03%

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

$14.9K COP 48.3M

$21.4K ฿716.8K

-30.40%

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

$22.4K COP 72.8M

$22.5K ฿756.3K

-0.59%

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

$139 COP 451.9K

$70.7 ฿2,372

96.67%

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

$8.09 COP 26.3K

$14.04 ฿471

-42.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.84 COP 71.0K

$17.49 ฿587

24.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.43 COP 69.7K

$42.15 ฿1,415

-49.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.66 COP 47.7K

$6.88 ฿231

113.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.20 COP 13.6K

$5.92 ฿199

-29.05%

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

$61.7 COP 200.7K

$309 ฿10.4K

-79.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,834 COP 6.0M

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-87.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 COP 201.5K

$55.8 ฿1,872

11.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 COP 174.8K

$26.11 ฿877

105.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 COP 260.1K

$83.0 ฿2,787

-3.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 COP 233.3K

$70.5 ฿2,365

1.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$236 COP 765.8K

$432 ฿14.5K

-45.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$220 COP 713.8K

$239 ฿8,020

-8.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$531 COP 1.7M

$822 ฿27.6K

-35.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 COP 1.5M

$512 ฿17.2K

-10.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,791 COP 5.8M

$1,915 ฿64.3K

-6.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$686 COP 2.2M

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-53.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$544 COP 1.8M

$579 ฿19.4K

-6.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

100.00%

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

Last update for Barranquilla: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $236 in Barranquilla 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 6% 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 $31.00 in Barranquilla versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $175 in Barranquilla vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Barranquilla 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Barranquilla, 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 $1,276 per month in Barranquilla 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 Barranquilla, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Barranquilla and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $850 in Barranquilla and $861 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $850 in Barranquilla and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Barranquilla costs $850 versus $861 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 Barranquilla. 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.