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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $835 in Envigado, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,250 in Envigado, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,665 in Envigado, rent included.

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

Both Chiang Mai and Envigado are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Envigado 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$4.04 COP 14.4K

-51.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$23.55 COP 84.3K

-21.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$7.09 COP 25.4K

5.78%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$1.51 COP 5,396

27.81%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$0.92 COP 3,298

-15.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.62 COP 2,207

-48.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$1.19 COP 4,262

80.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$2.12 COP 7,584

75.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.12 COP 3,992

52.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$1.29 COP 4,633

20.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$1.18 COP 4,224

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$2.14 COP 7,650

-7.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$4.32 COP 15.5K

271.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$5.21 COP 18.6K

-39.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$7.41 COP 26.5K

47.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$2.45 COP 8,766

7.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$1.08 COP 3,857

8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$1.32 COP 4,717

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$0.92 COP 3,307

67.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$1.11 COP 3,967

24.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$1.13 COP 4,033

3.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$0.87 COP 3,131

-24.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.65 COP 2,321

-21.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$2.39 COP 8,553

89.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$10.39 COP 37.2K

76.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$1.14 COP 4,068

57.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$1.73 COP 6,196

83.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$0.68 COP 2,440

32.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$29.54 COP 105.7K

-35.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$1.49 COP 5,324

-5.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$1.72 COP 6,145

-23.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$6.14 COP 22.0K

31.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$0.80 COP 2,864

60.00%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$17.7K COP 63.5M

20.10%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$25.4K COP 91.0M

-14.62%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$97.7 COP 349.6K

-29.15%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$11.37 COP 40.7K

22.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$25.80 COP 92.3K

-30.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$23.39 COP 83.7K

80.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$4.04 COP 14.4K

46.53%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$237 COP 848.5K

26.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$6,021 COP 21.5M

146.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$58.7 COP 210.0K

-4.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$32.22 COP 115.3K

-16.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$82.9 COP 296.8K

2.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$72.7 COP 260.3K

-1.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$264 COP 945.1K

64.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$241 COP 862.1K

-0.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$642 COP 2.3M

24.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$431 COP 1.5M

15.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$1,652 COP 5.9M

20.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$1,354 COP 4.8M

13.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.18

-62.06%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Last update for Envigado: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $264 in Envigado. 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $24 in Envigado. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $174 in Envigado – so Envigado 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 Envigado: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Envigado, 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,253 in Envigado. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Envigado, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $237 in Envigado. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $845 in Chiang Mai and $835 in Envigado, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Envigado costs $835 versus $845 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 Envigado. 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.