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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $857 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,340 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,824 in Barranquilla, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Barranquilla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Barranquilla are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Barranquilla 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$4.93 COP 17.2K

-59.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$31.40 COP 109.6K

-40.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$7.13 COP 24.9K

8.70%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.68 COP 5,875

14.29%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.86 COP 3,016

-8.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.60 COP 2,105

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.36 COP 4,749

62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.97 COP 6,863

85.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.93 COP 3,256

77.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.32 COP 4,604

23.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.06 COP 3,705

12.26%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.10 COP 7,344

-4.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$4.50 COP 15.7K

255.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$5.05 COP 17.6K

-40.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$7.03 COP 24.5K

54.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.87 COP 10.0K

-3.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.34 COP 4,660

-11.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.52 COP 5,322

7.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.84 COP 2,948

80.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.95 COP 3,315

45.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.51 COP 5,271

-21.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.88 COP 3,074

-20.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.57 COP 1,995

-1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.85 COP 9,949

60.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$10.06 COP 35.1K

64.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$0.90 COP 3,124

103.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.28 COP 4,475

150.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.72 COP 2,503

22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$33.31 COP 116.2K

-43.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.93 COP 6,727

-29.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$2.96 COP 10.3K

-54.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$4.87 COP 17.0K

60.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.94 COP 3,277

30.85%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$15.0K COP 52.3M

44.37%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$22.6K COP 78.9M

-0.25%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$141 COP 493.7K

-50.13%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$7.88 COP 27.5K

73.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$21.25 COP 74.2K

-17.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$21.04 COP 73.4K

96.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$14.38 COP 50.2K

-51.60%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$4.32 COP 15.1K

33.56%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$59.5 COP 207.6K

416.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$1,810 COP 6.3M

707.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$60.7 COP 211.8K

-8.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$52.3 COP 182.5K

-49.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$81.2 COP 283.2K

5.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$71.7 COP 250.3K

0.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$236 COP 824.7K

81.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$225 COP 783.5K

6.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$533 COP 1.9M

53.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$466 COP 1.6M

9.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,646 COP 5.7M

20.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$636 COP 2.2M

133.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$498 COP 1.7M

24.14%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Barranquilla: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $236 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 24% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $31.00 in Barranquilla. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $171 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

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Barranquilla, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,285 in Barranquilla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Barranquilla, 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $857 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $857 in Barranquilla, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Barranquilla costs $857 versus $869 in Chiang Mai. 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 Barranquilla. 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.