Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ibague

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $1,127 in Ibague, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 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
54

Cost of Living Index in Ibague
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Ibague Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Ibague

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,127

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Ibague actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,127 in Ibague, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Ibague $1,127

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,793 in Ibague, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Ibague $1,793

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,458 in Ibague, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Ibague $2,458

Chiang Mai is about 18% cheaper than Ibague, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Ibague are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Ibague 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$7.94 COP 25.2K

-71.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$41.52 COP 131.6K

-52.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$7.65 COP 24.3K

-26.67%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$1.56 COP 4,941

6.41%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$1.08 COP 3,411

-35.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.78 COP 2,470

-60.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$1.45 COP 4,597

66.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$4.00 COP 12.7K

-7.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$1.12 COP 3,563

74.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$2.40 COP 7,598

-41.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$1.11 COP 3,524

18.02%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$2.16 COP 6,834

0.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$8.23 COP 26.1K

102.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$6.94 COP 22.0K

-60.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$9.61 COP 30.5K

-5.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$3.59 COP 11.4K

-33.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$0.98 COP 3,112

5.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.47 COP 4,674

10.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$1.75 COP 5,536

-14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$0.79 COP 2,520

63.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$0.74 COP 2,341

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$0.82 COP 2,597

-12.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$1.21 COP 3,840

-56.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$4.29 COP 13.6K

0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$12.37 COP 39.2K

45.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$1.42 COP 4,497

11.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$2.84 COP 9,014

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$1.02 COP 3,238

-15.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$63.6 COP 201.5K

-16.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$1.35 COP 4,273

-10.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$0.38 COP 1,221

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$2.27 COP 7,212

3.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$1.35 COP 4,277

6.67%

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$20.5K COP 65.1M

1.03%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$34.6K COP 109.6M

-22.45%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$41.15 COP 130.5K

51.47%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$9.40 COP 29.8K

28.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$14.40 COP 45.7K

38.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$27.40 COP 86.9K

35.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$4.84 COP 15.4K

34.30%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$490 COP 1.6M

61.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$7,698 COP 24.4M

92.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$25.47 COP 80.7K

110.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$48.15 COP 152.7K

-48.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$78.0 COP 247.5K

16.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$105 COP 332.5K

-32.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$656 COP 2.1M

-30.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$476 COP 1.5M

-37.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$1,011 COP 3.2M

-10.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$914 COP 2.9M

-39.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$1,853 COP 5.9M

4.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$1,649 COP 5.2M

-12.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

$643 COP 2.0M

-8.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.81

-56.52%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Ibague: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Ibague

$476 42.3% 59.9% $178

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Ibague

$234 20.8% 0.6% $1.3

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Ibague

$115 10.3% 6.7% $7.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Ibague

$65 5.8% 31.2% $29

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Ibague

$128 11.4% 62.7% $49

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Ibague

$71 6.3% 16.7% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Ibague

$37 3.3% 25.9% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $656 in Ibague. 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 9% higher in Ibague, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $42.00 in Ibague. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Chiang Mai vs $234 in Ibague – so Ibague wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇨🇴 Ibague

🕒 Local time

21:54 9:54 PM

09:54 9:54 AM

12 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

530,000

💱 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 22, 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 22, 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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Between locations

Chiang Mai Ibague 17,360 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Ibague

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 Ibague: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibague costs about 22% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,690 in Ibague. 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 $793 per month in Chiang Mai and $490 in Ibague. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Ibague – 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 $925, than in Ibague at $1,127. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ibague it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $1,127 in Ibague. 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, Ibague makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.