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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Cartago vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,965 per month in Cartago vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,699 per month in Cartago vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Cartago costs about 30% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cartago and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Cartago 10% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.66 COP 24.1K

$2.08 ฿68.6

268.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.34 COP 120.5K

$19.64 ฿646

95.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$5.65 ฿186

52.57%

Cappuccino

$1.61 COP 5,068

$1.81 ฿59.4

-11.05%

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

$1.30 COP 4,095

$0.71 ฿23.45

83.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 2,724

$0.32 ฿10.38

171.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,820

$2.24 ฿73.6

39.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 COP 12.1K

$3.63 ฿119

6.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 COP 5,121

$1.96 ฿64.4

-16.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 COP 6,272

$1.50 ฿49.39

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 COP 4,689

$1.34 ฿43.93

11.19%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,089

$2.26 ฿74.5

27.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.44 COP 20.3K

$16.26 ฿535

-60.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 COP 21.8K

$2.95 ฿97.1

134.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.09 COP 31.7K

$9.94 ฿327

1.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 COP 11.1K

$2.57 ฿84.6

37.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,248

$1.06 ฿34.73

27.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 COP 5,703

$1.61 ฿53.0

12.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 COP 5,231

$1.52 ฿49.97

9.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 COP 4,514

$1.27 ฿41.77

13.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,968

$1.07 ฿35.06

47.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 COP 3,586

$0.72 ฿23.68

58.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 COP 3,186

$0.51 ฿16.72

98.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.70 COP 11.6K

$4.19 ฿138

-11.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.96 COP 40.7K

$17.87 ฿587

-27.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,742

$1.69 ฿55.7

-10.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 COP 7,999

$2.84 ฿93.3

-10.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 COP 3,731

$0.93 ฿30.43

27.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,771

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 COP 2,688

$1.23 ฿40.59

-30.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 COP 5,876

$0.58 ฿18.96

222.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$2.42 ฿79.7

231.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 COP 4,191

$1.41 ฿46.43

-5.67%

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

$23.6K COP 74.1M

$21.4K ฿705.1K

9.94%

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

$35.9K COP 112.8M

$27.3K ฿898.7K

31.28%

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

$113 COP 356.4K

$63.7 ฿2,093

78.09%

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

$13.29 COP 41.8K

$12.85 ฿423

3.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 COP 99.0K

$20.22 ฿665

55.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.54 COP 111.7K

$38.74 ฿1,274

-8.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$8.49 COP 26.7K

$6.74 ฿222

25.96%

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

$658 COP 2.1M

$778 ฿25.6K

-15.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,616 COP 20.8M

$14.6K ฿480.4K

-54.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.7 COP 247.3K

$54.3 ฿1,785

44.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 COP 173.3K

$25.45 ฿837

116.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 COP 395.7K

$94.3 ฿3,102

33.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 343.5K

$73.4 ฿2,415

48.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 COP 2.0M

$490 ฿16.1K

31.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$502 COP 1.6M

$289 ฿9,512

73.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,123 COP 3.5M

$894 ฿29.4K

25.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 COP 3.2M

$517 ฿17.0K

95.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,687 COP 5.3M

$1,955 ฿64.3K

-13.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,900 COP 6.0M

$1,477 ฿48.6K

28.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

5.57

107.90%

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

Last update for Cartago: September 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $646 in Cartago 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Cartago versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 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

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

Yes – Cartago is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Cartago 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 $1,232 in Cartago and $947 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $658 per month in Cartago 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 Cartago at $1,232. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cartago it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Cartago makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.