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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $806 per month in Buenaventura vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,234 per month in Buenaventura vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,661 per month in Buenaventura vs $1,816 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Buenaventura is about 5% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Buenaventura and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Buenaventura 40% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.04 COP 13.0K

$2.03 ฿68.4

99.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.92 COP 77.0K

$18.71 ฿630

27.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$7.84 ฿264

-9.18%

Cappuccino

$1.50 COP 4,828

$1.93 ฿64.9

-22.28%

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

$0.93 COP 2,994

$0.83 ฿28.00

12.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 COP 1,811

$0.35 ฿11.80

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 COP 3,908

$2.22 ฿74.8

-45.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 COP 6,872

$3.79 ฿128

-43.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.65 ฿55.4

-35.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,019

$1.55 ฿52.3

-19.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,635

$1.18 ฿39.79

-4.24%

Eggs

$2.15 COP 6,933

$2.01 ฿67.9

6.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.36 COP 14.0K

$16.16 ฿544

-73.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.16 COP 16.6K

$3.03 ฿102

70.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 COP 23.1K

$10.84 ฿365

-33.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 COP 7,971

$2.68 ฿90.3

-7.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 COP 3,588

$1.22 ฿41.14

-8.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 COP 4,201

$1.63 ฿54.8

-19.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.87 COP 2,799

$1.53 ฿51.5

-43.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,629

$1.34 ฿45.10

-15.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,773

$1.21 ฿40.86

-3.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 COP 2,598

$0.70 ฿23.63

15.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,105

$0.53 ฿17.70

22.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,508

$4.69 ฿158

-50.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.87 COP 35.0K

$17.71 ฿597

-38.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 COP 3,629

$1.85 ฿62.2

-38.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 COP 5,770

$3.21 ฿108

-44.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,305

$0.89 ฿30.01

-19.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.68 COP 95.5K

$18.76 ฿632

58.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 4,621

$1.41 ฿47.40

2.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 COP 5,285

$1.29 ฿43.52

27.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.18 COP 19.9K

$7.79 ฿262

-20.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,070

$1.29 ฿43.59

-26.36%

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

$17.7K COP 56.9M

$21.8K ฿733.4K

-18.76%

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

$25.4K COP 81.7M

$21.7K ฿730.7K

17.08%

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

$83.3 COP 268.1K

$70.0 ฿2,358

19.08%

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

$8.87 COP 28.5K

$14.19 ฿478

-37.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.32 COP 71.8K

$17.42 ฿587

28.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.66 COP 76.1K

$41.64 ฿1,403

-43.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿232

Cinema Ticket

$4.02 COP 12.9K

$5.78 ฿195

-30.45%

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

$235 COP 756.2K

$300 ฿10.1K

-21.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,945 COP 19.1M

$14.5K ฿489.2K

-59.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 COP 193.2K

$55.4 ฿1,865

8.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.17 COP 103.5K

$26.31 ฿886

22.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 COP 269.6K

$84.8 ฿2,858

-1.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.1 COP 238.4K

$70.5 ฿2,375

5.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 COP 907.8K

$425 ฿14.3K

-33.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 COP 761.3K

$235 ฿7,919

0.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$536 COP 1.7M

$802 ฿27.0K

-33.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 COP 1.4M

$516 ฿17.4K

-16.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,731 COP 5.6M

$1,926 ฿64.9K

-10.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,400 COP 4.5M

$1,451 ฿48.9K

-3.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 COP 2.0M

$586 ฿19.8K

6.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.18

163.60%

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

Last update for Buenaventura: July 22, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Buenaventura versus $425 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 Buenaventura, 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 $24.00 in Buenaventura versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $173 in Buenaventura vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Buenaventura 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $806 in Buenaventura, $847 in Chiang Mai – roughly 5% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,210 per month in Buenaventura and $1,271 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 40% 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Buenaventura and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $806 in Buenaventura and $847 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $806 in Buenaventura to $847 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Buenaventura. 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.