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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $811 in Pasto, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,215 in Pasto, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,619 in Pasto, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 5% more than Pasto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Pasto are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Pasto 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$3.88 COP 14.0K

-49.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$24.04 COP 86.8K

-21.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$7.19 COP 26.0K

10.15%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.52 COP 5,475

25.66%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.93 COP 3,354

-9.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.56 COP 2,030

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.15 COP 4,150

92.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.19 COP 7,918

73.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.10 COP 3,988

49.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.25 COP 4,520

29.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.13 COP 4,076

4.42%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.13 COP 7,697

-5.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$4.45 COP 16.1K

257.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$5.14 COP 18.6K

-41.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$7.15 COP 25.8K

50.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.55 COP 9,208

2.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.04 COP 3,758

17.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.36 COP 4,907

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.09 COP 3,940

44.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.11 COP 3,998

18.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.12 COP 4,055

4.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.88 COP 3,175

-23.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.64 COP 2,306

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.36 COP 8,507

91.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$9.85 COP 35.6K

84.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.08 COP 3,898

69.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.77 COP 6,393

82.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.68 COP 2,456

30.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$30.45 COP 109.9K

-36.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.43 COP 5,167

-5.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.74 COP 6,279

-22.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$5.99 COP 21.6K

37.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.95 COP 3,428

33.68%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$18.2K COP 65.6M

16.42%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$25.5K COP 92.1M

-11.87%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$81.7 COP 295.0K

-14.16%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$9.23 COP 33.3K

49.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$22.30 COP 80.5K

-21.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$23.59 COP 85.1K

76.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$4.05 COP 14.6K

42.72%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$242 COP 873.1K

26.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$5,856 COP 21.1M

153.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$59.2 COP 213.7K

-8.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$32.39 COP 116.9K

-19.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$84.9 COP 306.5K

-0.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$72.5 COP 261.6K

-4.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$268 COP 966.5K

58.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$240 COP 867.2K

-0.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$532 COP 1.9M

54.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$424 COP 1.5M

21.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,420 COP 5.1M

44.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,066 COP 3.8M

42.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.06

-61.72%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Pasto: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $268 in Pasto. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $24.00 in Pasto. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $172 in Pasto – so Pasto 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 Pasto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 5% more than Pasto, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,216 in Pasto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $242 in Pasto. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $811 in Pasto, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pasto costs $811 versus $852 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 Pasto. 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.