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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,086 in Cartagena, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,604 in Cartagena, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,121 in Cartagena, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 21% cheaper than Cartagena, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Cartagena are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Cartagena 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$5.93 COP 18.7K

-65.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$47.34 COP 149.1K

-60.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$9.95 COP 31.3K

-21.01%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.57 COP 4,950

29.30%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.82 COP 2,579

-2.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.68 COP 2,128

-48.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.31 COP 4,111

63.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.89 COP 9,107

26.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.14 COP 3,590

51.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.83 COP 5,777

-14.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.37 COP 4,324

-12.41%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.19 COP 6,910

-10.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$6.81 COP 21.5K

138.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.22 COP 19.6K

-50.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$7.77 COP 24.5K

39.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$3.26 COP 10.3K

-15.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.91 COP 6,014

-38.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.45 COP 4,556

17.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.62 COP 5,101

-1.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.61 COP 5,074

-13.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.08 COP 3,400

7.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.01 COP 3,177

-34.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.59 COP 1,865

-11.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.35 COP 7,403

97.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$18.80 COP 59.2K

-5.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$0.98 COP 3,083

82.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$0.98 COP 3,081

240.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$1.05 COP 3,311

-13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$28.98 COP 91.2K

-35.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$2.46 COP 7,753

-42.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$2.37 COP 7,461

-43.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$4.86 COP 15.3K

66.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.02 COP 3,204

20.59%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$21.1K COP 66.5M

1.52%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$24.0K COP 75.7M

-9.25%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$143 COP 449.0K

-49.98%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$10.93 COP 34.4K

28.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$25.27 COP 79.6K

-29.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$35.26 COP 111.0K

15.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$8.60 COP 27.1K

-20.00%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$2.84 COP 8,948

101.41%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$144 COP 453.7K

113.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$6,062 COP 19.1M

142.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$47.97 COP 151.0K

16.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$38.50 COP 121.2K

-32.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$125 COP 393.7K

-32.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$112 COP 351.2K

-36.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$720 COP 2.3M

-41.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$333 COP 1.0M

-27.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$1,292 COP 4.1M

-38.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$471 COP 1.5M

7.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$3,492 COP 11.0M

-45.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$935 COP 2.9M

56.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$467 COP 1.5M

27.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-66.67%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cartagena: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $720 in Cartagena. 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 27% 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 $47.00 in Cartagena. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $223 in Cartagena – so Cartagena 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 Cartagena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cartagena costs about 27% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,629 in Cartagena. 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.

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $144 in Cartagena. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Cartagena – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Cartagena at $1,086. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cartagena it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,086 in Cartagena. 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, Cartagena makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.