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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $878 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,369 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,860 in Barranquilla, rent included.

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

Both Chiang Mai and Barranquilla are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Barranquilla 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$4.71 COP 14.8K

-56.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$31.31 COP 98.6K

-40.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$7.10 COP 22.4K

10.70%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.74 COP 5,486

16.67%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.92 COP 2,885

-13.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.65 COP 2,047

-46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.30 COP 4,095

64.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$1.97 COP 6,190

86.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.97 COP 3,067

78.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.28 COP 4,036

22.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.06 COP 3,327

13.21%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.99 COP 6,269

-1.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$4.71 COP 14.8K

244.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.03 COP 15.8K

-39.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$7.19 COP 22.6K

50.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.89 COP 9,091

-4.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.35 COP 4,237

-13.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.56 COP 4,906

9.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.77 COP 2,428

106.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.89 COP 2,802

56.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.43 COP 4,503

-18.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.82 COP 2,585

-19.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.61 COP 1,924

-14.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.75 COP 8,668

69.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$11.43 COP 36.0K

55.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$0.84 COP 2,658

113.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.29 COP 4,048

158.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.71 COP 2,246

28.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$32.48 COP 102.3K

-42.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.98 COP 6,227

-28.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$2.86 COP 9,000

-53.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$4.85 COP 15.3K

67.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.97 COP 3,062

26.80%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$15.2K COP 47.7M

41.46%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$22.0K COP 69.4M

-1.01%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$140 COP 440.8K

-49.05%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$8.24 COP 25.9K

70.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$21.81 COP 68.7K

-17.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$21.14 COP 66.6K

93.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$14.66 COP 46.1K

-53.07%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$4.35 COP 13.7K

31.49%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$61.6 COP 194.0K

400.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$1,791 COP 5.6M

719.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$61.7 COP 194.2K

-9.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$54.2 COP 170.6K

-51.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$80.6 COP 253.7K

5.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$72.8 COP 229.3K

-2.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$242 COP 762.6K

74.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$224 COP 705.4K

8.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$539 COP 1.7M

47.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$468 COP 1.5M

8.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,860 COP 5.9M

3.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$712 COP 2.2M

105.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$573 COP 1.8M

3.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-50.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Barranquilla: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $242 in Barranquilla. 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 4% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $31.00 in Barranquilla. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $174 in Barranquilla – so Barranquilla 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

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

Barranquilla costs about 3% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,318 in Barranquilla. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $31.00 in Barranquilla. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $852 in Chiang Mai and $878 in Barranquilla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $878 in Barranquilla, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $878 in Barranquilla. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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