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 $836 per month in Cartago vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,266 per month in Cartago vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,696 per month in Cartago vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Cartago is about 3% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cartago and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Cartago 37% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.64 COP 11.9K

$1.96 ฿65.9

85.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.68 COP 93.4K

$18.35 ฿617

56.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.29 COP 23.7K

$7.48 ฿252

-2.54%

Cappuccino

$1.59 COP 5,176

$2.02 ฿67.8

-21.29%

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

$0.87 COP 2,830

$0.85 ฿28.52

2.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 COP 1,855

$0.36 ฿11.97

58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.00 COP 3,268

$2.14 ฿71.9

-53.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 COP 8,176

$3.59 ฿121

-30.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 COP 4,023

$1.65 ฿55.5

-24.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 COP 4,922

$1.57 ฿52.7

-3.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 COP 4,119

$1.19 ฿40.05

6.72%

Eggs

$2.52 COP 8,205

$1.94 ฿65.1

29.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.11 COP 13.4K

$16.19 ฿545

-74.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.49 COP 17.9K

$2.99 ฿101

83.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 COP 25.2K

$10.94 ฿368

-29.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 COP 7,910

$2.71 ฿91.2

-10.33%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 COP 2,979

$1.17 ฿39.27

-22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 COP 3,887

$1.69 ฿56.8

-29.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 COP 4,150

$1.60 ฿54.0

-20.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 COP 2,630

$1.38 ฿46.56

-41.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,455

$1.20 ฿40.47

-11.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 COP 2,280

$0.67 ฿22.51

4.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 COP 2,245

$0.56 ฿18.74

23.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 COP 9,265

$4.64 ฿156

-38.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.59 COP 41.0K

$17.62 ฿593

-28.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 COP 3,651

$1.86 ฿62.6

-39.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 COP 6,133

$3.30 ฿111

-43.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 COP 2,224

$0.88 ฿29.70

-22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.88 COP 97.3K

$19.34 ฿651

54.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 COP 5,001

$1.36 ฿45.92

13.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 COP 6,132

$1.34 ฿45.00

40.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.65 COP 31.4K

$8.21 ฿276

17.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,224

$1.22 ฿41.20

-18.85%

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

$21.7K COP 70.7M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

1.68%

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

$30.4K COP 98.8M

$22.5K ฿758.1K

34.72%

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

$83.1 COP 270.5K

$70.7 ฿2,378

17.59%

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

$8.68 COP 28.3K

$14.04 ฿472

-38.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 78.7K

$17.49 ฿589

38.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.67 COP 77.0K

$42.15 ฿1,418

-43.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 COP 16.2K

$5.92 ฿199

-16.05%

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

$225 COP 731.6K

$309 ฿10.4K

-27.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,871 COP 19.1M

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-60.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.2 COP 205.7K

$55.8 ฿1,876

13.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.52 COP 144.9K

$26.11 ฿879

70.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 COP 246.1K

$83.0 ฿2,793

-8.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 COP 296.5K

$70.5 ฿2,371

29.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 COP 924.0K

$432 ฿14.5K

-34.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 COP 775.4K

$239 ฿8,040

-0.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$527 COP 1.7M

$822 ฿27.7K

-35.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$428 COP 1.4M

$512 ฿17.2K

-16.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,740 COP 5.7M

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-9.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,273 COP 4.1M

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-13.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$347 COP 1.1M

$579 ฿19.5K

-40.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

131.60%

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

Last update for Cartago: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $284 in Cartago 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 67% 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 $29.00 in Cartago versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $185 in Cartago vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Cartago 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

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

Yes – Chiang Mai is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,254 per month in Cartago 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 Cartago, 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 $836 in Cartago and $861 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 54% less in Cartago. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $836 in Cartago and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Cartago – 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 Cartago. 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.