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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $851 in Rionegro, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,471 in Rionegro, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,092 in Rionegro, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 2% more than Rionegro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Rionegro are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Rionegro 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$4.35 COP 15.2K

-54.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$30.62 COP 106.9K

-38.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$7.07 COP 24.7K

9.62%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.70 COP 5,939

12.94%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.06 COP 3,713

-25.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.77 COP 2,694

-53.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.66 COP 5,788

33.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.08 COP 10.7K

18.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$0.85 COP 2,951

94.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.11 COP 3,873

46.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.40 COP 4,885

-15.00%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.26 COP 7,898

-11.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$4.56 COP 15.9K

250.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$2.01 COP 7,032

50.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$8.64 COP 30.1K

25.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.65 COP 5,756

67.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.10 COP 3,840

7.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.97 COP 3,374

69.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.79 COP 2,751

92.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.66 COP 2,318

109.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.12 COP 3,925

6.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.50 COP 1,738

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.43 COP 1,497

30.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$1.91 COP 6,680

139.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$6.09 COP 21.3K

171.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.16 COP 4,040

57.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$2.46 COP 8,595

30.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.65 COP 2,274

35.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$29.57 COP 103.2K

-36.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.48 COP 5,151

-8.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.73 COP 6,031

-22.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$7.76 COP 27.1K

1.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.96 COP 3,346

28.13%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$18.2K COP 63.4M

19.03%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$26.8K COP 93.4M

-15.79%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$80.9 COP 282.4K

-12.82%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$9.86 COP 34.4K

38.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$24.07 COP 84.0K

-27.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$21.83 COP 76.2K

89.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$4.04 COP 14.1K

42.82%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$311 COP 1.1M

-1.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$5,935 COP 20.7M

146.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$60.2 COP 209.9K

-7.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$31.91 COP 111.4K

-17.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$99.9 COP 348.5K

-14.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$107 COP 372.7K

-32.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$384 COP 1.3M

11.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$286 COP 998.8K

-16.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$430 COP 1.5M

90.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$876 COP 3.1M

-41.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,404 COP 4.9M

41.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,185 COP 4.1M

25.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-62.77%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Rionegro: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $384 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $31.00 in Rionegro. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $141 in Rionegro – so Rionegro 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 Rionegro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 2% more than Rionegro, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,276 in Rionegro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $311 in Rionegro. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 71% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $851 in Rionegro, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Rionegro costs $851 versus $869 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 Rionegro. 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.