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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,434 in Rionegro, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,245 in Rionegro, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,056 in Rionegro, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 35% cheaper than Rionegro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Rionegro is 5% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$7.95 COP 25.2K

-73.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$48.93 COP 155.4K

-59.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$9.77 COP 31.0K

-41.97%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$3.03 COP 9,629

-40.26%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$1.85 COP 5,867

-58.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$1.50 COP 4,763

-76.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$3.16 COP 10.0K

-30.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$5.67 COP 18.0K

-33.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.43 COP 4,553

43.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$2.49 COP 7,904

-39.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.77 COP 5,635

-20.90%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$2.88 COP 9,145

-21.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$10.07 COP 32.0K

60.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$10.18 COP 32.3K

-71.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$14.10 COP 44.8K

-33.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$4.06 COP 12.9K

-33.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.62 COP 5,131

-32.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$2.27 COP 7,191

-28.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$2.24 COP 7,127

-34.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$2.02 COP 6,411

-36.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$1.54 COP 4,884

-31.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$1.16 COP 3,680

-37.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$1.32 COP 4,176

-59.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.93 COP 12.5K

7.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$13.81 COP 43.8K

32.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.73 COP 5,499

-5.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.78 COP 8,828

4.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$0.99 COP 3,148

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$1.37 COP 4,336

-14.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$2.16 COP 6,872

-73.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$8.61 COP 27.3K

-72.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.32 COP 4,176

9.85%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$28.2K COP 89.5M

-25.49%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$36.0K COP 114.4M

-26.64%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$179 COP 567.3K

-64.38%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$13.98 COP 44.4K

-7.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$28.72 COP 91.2K

-28.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$40.17 COP 127.5K

-2.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$6.65 COP 21.1K

-1.05%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$793 COP 2.5M

-1.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$9,374 COP 29.8M

56.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$87.9 COP 279.1K

-37.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$60.4 COP 191.9K

-59.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$140 COP 445.6K

-32.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$103 COP 327.4K

-28.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$722 COP 2.3M

-32.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$440 COP 1.4M

-34.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$1,075 COP 3.4M

-17.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$1,018 COP 3.2M

-48.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$2,264 COP 7.2M

-12.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$1,751 COP 5.6M

-17.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.94

-49.09%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Rionegro: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $722 in Rionegro. 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 $49.00 in Rionegro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $303 – 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 Rionegro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rionegro costs about 54% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,151 in Rionegro. 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 $49.00 in Rionegro. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% more in Rionegro, 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 $932, than in Rionegro at $1,434. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rionegro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,434 in Rionegro. 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, Rionegro makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.