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 $797 per month in Buenaventura vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,202 per month in Buenaventura vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,608 per month in Buenaventura vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Buenaventura is about 6% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Buenaventura and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Buenaventura 41% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 COP 14.7K

$1.95 ฿62.8

110.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.58 COP 84.4K

$18.43 ฿594

27.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.07 COP 25.3K

$7.50 ฿241

-5.73%

Cappuccino

$1.55 COP 5,545

$1.93 ฿62.3

-19.69%

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

$0.92 COP 3,307

$0.78 ฿25.08

17.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 COP 2,014

$0.32 ฿10.42

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 COP 4,139

$2.15 ฿69.2

-46.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 COP 7,656

$3.71 ฿120

-42.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,781

$1.71 ฿55.2

-38.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 COP 4,400

$1.56 ฿50.3

-21.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,105

$1.18 ฿38.06

-2.54%

Eggs

$2.15 COP 7,680

$1.98 ฿63.9

8.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.38 COP 15.7K

$16.04 ฿517

-72.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 COP 18.8K

$3.17 ฿102

65.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.18 COP 25.7K

$10.94 ฿353

-34.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 COP 8,653

$2.63 ฿84.7

-7.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,831

$1.17 ฿37.61

-8.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,850

$1.65 ฿53.0

-17.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 COP 3,338

$1.54 ฿49.51

-39.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,178

$1.38 ฿44.34

-15.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,185

$1.17 ฿37.54

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 COP 3,106

$0.66 ฿21.25

31.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 COP 2,455

$0.51 ฿16.55

35.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.31 COP 8,250

$4.52 ฿146

-48.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.11 COP 32.6K

$18.32 ฿590

-50.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.80 ฿57.9

-39.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 COP 6,307

$3.18 ฿102

-44.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 COP 2,446

$0.90 ฿28.97

-24.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.84 COP 106.8K

$19.00 ฿612

57.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 COP 5,308

$1.41 ฿45.50

4.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 COP 6,184

$1.31 ฿42.15

32.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 COP 21.1K

$8.09 ฿261

-26.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 COP 3,643

$1.28 ฿41.08

-20.31%

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

$17.6K COP 63.1M

$21.3K ฿686.1K

-17.26%

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

$25.7K COP 91.8M

$21.7K ฿699.3K

18.24%

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

$82.1 COP 293.8K

$69.2 ฿2,230

18.63%

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

$8.94 COP 32.0K

$13.97 ฿450

-36.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.34 COP 79.9K

$17.95 ฿578

24.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.31 COP 83.4K

$42.31 ฿1,363

-44.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$4.06 COP 14.5K

$5.92 ฿191

-31.42%

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

$237 COP 847.8K

$299 ฿9,640

-20.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,929 COP 21.2M

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-60.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 210.2K

$56.2 ฿1,810

4.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.13 COP 118.6K

$26.94 ฿868

22.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 COP 297.8K

$84.9 ฿2,735

-1.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.6 COP 256.1K

$71.8 ฿2,314

-0.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$287 COP 1.0M

$435 ฿14.0K

-33.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 COP 847.6K

$240 ฿7,727

-1.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$531 COP 1.9M

$798 ฿25.7K

-33.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 COP 1.5M

$498 ฿16.1K

-13.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,652 COP 5.9M

$1,995 ฿64.3K

-17.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,366 COP 4.9M

$1,532 ฿49.4K

-10.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$550 COP 2.0M

$628 ฿20.2K

-12.39%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $287 in Buenaventura versus $435 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 14% 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 $24 in Buenaventura versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $170 in Buenaventura vs $244 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: $797 in Buenaventura, $845 in Chiang Mai – roughly 6% apart. Chiang Mai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,195 per month in Buenaventura and $1,267 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 43% 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 $18.00 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 $797 in Buenaventura and $845 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 $797 in Buenaventura to $845 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.