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 $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,325 in Envigado, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,043 in Envigado, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,761 in Envigado, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 29% cheaper than Envigado, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Envigado are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Envigado 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.4

$7.79 COP 24.3K

-73.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿644

$40.70 COP 127.0K

-51.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$9.64 COP 30.1K

-41.39%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.2

$2.56 COP 7,989

-29.30%

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

$0.71 ฿23.40

$1.44 COP 4,488

-50.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.36

$0.99 COP 3,089

-67.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$2.61 COP 8,149

-14.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.83 COP 12.0K

-5.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.3

$1.64 COP 5,113

19.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.29

$2.42 COP 7,561

-38.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.84

$1.72 COP 5,364

-22.09%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.3

$2.91 COP 9,091

-22.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿533

$8.11 COP 25.3K

100.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.9

$9.20 COP 28.7K

-67.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿326

$13.77 COP 43.0K

-27.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.4

$3.63 COP 11.3K

-29.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.66

$1.39 COP 4,346

-23.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.9

$1.93 COP 6,032

-16.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.86

$1.78 COP 5,570

-14.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.68

$1.40 COP 4,377

-9.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿34.99

$1.36 COP 4,260

-21.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.63

$1.29 COP 4,026

-44.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.69

$1.14 COP 3,560

-55.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$4.21 COP 13.1K

-0.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿586

$13.82 COP 43.1K

29.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.6

$1.49 COP 4,658

13.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.1

$2.89 COP 9,016

-1.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.36

$1.15 COP 3,580

-19.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,767

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.50

$1.59 COP 4,966

-22.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.92

$2.25 COP 7,033

-74.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.5

$8.12 COP 25.3K

-70.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.34

$1.30 COP 4,042

8.46%

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

$21.4K ฿703.6K

$23.8K COP 74.1M

-9.73%

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

$27.3K ฿896.8K

$35.0K COP 109.2M

-21.89%

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

$63.7 ฿2,089

$112 COP 349.8K

-43.19%

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

$12.85 ฿422

$13.68 COP 42.7K

-6.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿663

$28.49 COP 88.9K

-29.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,271

$41.04 COP 128.1K

-5.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$5.83 COP 18.2K

15.61%

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

$778 ฿25.5K

$665 COP 2.1M

17.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿479.4K

$6,607 COP 20.6M

121.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,781

$74.5 COP 232.5K

-27.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿835

$54.2 COP 169.3K

-53.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,095

$144 COP 448.9K

-34.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,410

$99.9 COP 311.7K

-26.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$673 COP 2.1M

-27.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,492

$439 COP 1.4M

-34.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.3K

$1,102 COP 3.4M

-18.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$938 COP 2.9M

-44.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.1K

$2,120 COP 6.6M

-7.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

$1,464 COP 4.6M

0.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Envigado: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $673 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $41.00 in Envigado. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $281 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Envigado costs about 40% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,988 in Envigado. 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 $41.00 in Envigado. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Envigado, 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 $947, than in Envigado at $1,325. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Envigado it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,325 in Envigado. 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, Envigado makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.