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

🙂 Solo nomad: Cartago is 0.4% cheaper than Chiang Mai without rent, and 5.5% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Cartago is 9.8% cheaper than Chiang Mai without rent, and 4.5% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cartago
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.53 COP 12.7K
$2.01 ฿64.4
75.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.53 COP 102.7K
$18.23 ฿583
56.50%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.22 COP 26.0K
$7.65 ฿244
-5.62%
Cappuccino
$1.56 COP 5,611
$1.92 ฿61.3
-18.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 COP 3,181
$0.84 ฿26.90
4.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 COP 2,129
$0.36 ฿11.39
63.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.01 COP 3,644
$2.19 ฿70.0
-53.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 COP 9,027
$3.79 ฿121
-33.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cartago
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.23 COP 4,425
$1.64 ฿52.4
-25.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.49 COP 5,354
$1.62 ฿51.8
-8.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.25 COP 4,515
$1.15 ฿36.88
8.70%
Eggs
$2.55 COP 9,178
$1.94 ฿62.0
31.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.12 COP 14.8K
$15.94 ฿510
-74.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.54 COP 20.0K
$3.10 ฿99.2
78.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.76 COP 28.0K
$11.07 ฿354
-29.90%
Apples (1kg)
$2.45 COP 8,823
$2.71 ฿86.5
-9.59%
Banana (1kg)
$0.91 COP 3,281
$1.18 ฿37.69
-22.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.15 COP 4,129
$1.71 ฿54.5
-32.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.27 COP 4,561
$1.61 ฿51.3
-21.12%
Potato (1kg)
$0.82 COP 2,969
$1.39 ฿44.53
-41.01%
Onion (1kg)
$1.09 COP 3,941
$1.15 ฿36.70
-5.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 COP 2,565
$0.71 ฿22.76
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.70 COP 2,526
$0.55 ฿17.60
27.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.81 COP 10.1K
$4.57 ฿146
-38.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.44 COP 41.2K
$18.87 ฿603
-39.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.11 COP 3,983
$1.82 ฿58.2
-39.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86 COP 6,691
$3.21 ฿103
-42.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Cartago
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.67 COP 2,422
$0.88 ฿28.16
-23.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.46 COP 109.7K
$18.89 ฿604
61.25%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.58 COP 5,691
$1.41 ฿45.17
12.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.89 COP 6,795
$1.30 ฿41.59
45.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.67 COP 34.8K
$8.20 ฿262
17.93%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.01 COP 3,621
$1.23 ฿39.18
-17.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K COP 78.4M
$21.2K ฿677.0K
2.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.4K COP 109.6M
$22.3K ฿713.3K
36.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cartago
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.3 COP 289.1K
$69.9 ฿2,234
14.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.63 COP 31.1K
$14.07 ฿450
-38.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.99 COP 86.4K
$17.70 ฿566
35.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cartago
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$23.53 COP 84.7K
$41.41 ฿1,324
-43.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.69 ฿214
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.87 COP 17.5K
$5.74 ฿184
-15.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cartago
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$227 COP 815.8K
$299 ฿9,566
-24.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,053 COP 21.8M
$15.0K ฿479.8K
-59.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cartago
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.6 COP 229.0K
$54.8 ฿1,753
16.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.78 COP 157.6K
$26.35 ฿842
66.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.3 COP 282.0K
$84.7 ฿2,706
-7.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5 COP 322.1K
$69.7 ฿2,229
28.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cartago
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$284 COP 1.0M
$427 ฿13.6K
-33.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$235 COP 847.0K
$241 ฿7,697
-2.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$539 COP 1.9M
$811 ฿25.9K
-33.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$426 COP 1.5M
$498 ฿15.9K
-14.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,465 COP 5.3M
$2,022 ฿64.7K
-27.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,436 COP 5.2M
$1,524 ฿48.7K
-5.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cartago
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$312 COP 1.1M
$639 ฿20.4K
-51.15%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.58
5
131.60%

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

Last update for Cartago: April 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 13, 2026

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

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