Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Buenaventura

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $1,308 in Buenaventura, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
63

Cost of Living Index in Buenaventura
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Buenaventura Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Buenaventura

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,308

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Buenaventura

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Buenaventura actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,308 in Buenaventura, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Buenaventura $1,308

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,012 in Buenaventura, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Buenaventura $2,012

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,716 in Buenaventura, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Buenaventura $2,716

Chiang Mai is about 29% cheaper than Buenaventura, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Buenaventura are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Buenaventura 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$7.61 COP 24.1K

-69.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$42.62 COP 135.1K

-53.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$9.41 COP 29.8K

-40.38%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$2.59 COP 8,225

-35.91%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$1.38 COP 4,370

-49.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.89 COP 2,835

-65.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$3.14 COP 9,959

-23.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$3.73 COP 11.8K

-0.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$1.43 COP 4,538

36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$2.41 COP 7,642

-41.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$1.63 COP 5,169

-19.63%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$2.95 COP 9,353

-26.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$7.86 COP 24.9K

111.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$9.62 COP 30.5K

-71.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$12.27 COP 38.9K

-25.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$3.58 COP 11.4K

-33.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$1.47 COP 4,665

-29.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.91 COP 6,047

-14.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$1.80 COP 5,696

-16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$1.49 COP 4,737

-13.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$1.48 COP 4,694

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$1.19 COP 3,758

-39.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$1.20 COP 3,811

-55.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$3.95 COP 12.5K

9.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$13.14 COP 41.7K

36.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$1.41 COP 4,474

12.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$2.38 COP 7,555

19.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$1.09 COP 3,450

-21.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$1.60 COP 5,079

-24.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$2.04 COP 6,457

-72.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$9.02 COP 28.6K

-73.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$1.29 COP 4,080

11.63%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$24.7K COP 78.5M

-16.21%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$35.4K COP 112.2M

-24.24%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$126 COP 399.9K

-50.58%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$13.14 COP 41.7K

-7.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$29.17 COP 92.5K

-31.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$38.15 COP 120.9K

-2.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$6.50 COP 20.6K

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$630 COP 2.0M

25.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$7,516 COP 23.8M

97.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$84.9 COP 269.2K

-36.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$54.4 COP 172.5K

-54.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$139 COP 440.5K

-34.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$103 COP 328.1K

-31.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$653 COP 2.1M

-30.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$475 COP 1.5M

-37.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$997 COP 3.2M

-8.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$875 COP 2.8M

-36.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$1,966 COP 6.2M

-1.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$1,628 COP 5.2M

-11.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.58

-51.90%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Buenaventura: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Buenaventura

$475 36.3% 59.4% $177

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Buenaventura

$273 20.9% 16.1% $38

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Buenaventura

$172 13.1% 58.8% $64

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Buenaventura

$168 12.9% 78.5% $74

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Buenaventura

$153 11.7% 94.1% $74

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Buenaventura

$16 * 1.2% 73.4% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Buenaventura

$51 3.9% 2.2% $1.1

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $653 in Buenaventura. 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $43.00 in Buenaventura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $273 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇨🇴 Buenaventura

🕒 Local time

23:04 11:04 PM

11:04 11:04 AM

12 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

365,607

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Buenaventura 17,460 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Buenaventura

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Buenaventura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $925 in Chiang Mai, $1,308 in Buenaventura – roughly 41% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,962 in Buenaventura. 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $43.00 in Buenaventura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Buenaventura, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Buenaventura at $1,308. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Buenaventura it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $925 in Chiang Mai to $1,308 in Buenaventura. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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