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 $905 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,371 in Rionegro, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,374 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,125 in Rionegro, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,843 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,880 in Rionegro, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 34% cheaper than Rionegro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 33% below the global median, while Rionegro is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.6

$7.57 COP 24.5K

-72.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.52 ฿652

$43.62 COP 140.9K

-55.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.94 ฿198

$9.26 COP 29.9K

-35.85%

Cappuccino

$1.70 ฿56.9

$2.83 COP 9,157

-39.93%

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

$0.72 ฿24.02

$1.77 COP 5,712

-59.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.83

$1.49 COP 4,830

-78.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿81.6

$3.16 COP 10.2K

-22.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿122

$5.78 COP 18.7K

-36.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ฿62.0

$1.33 COP 4,303

39.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿52.1

$2.37 COP 7,666

-34.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.39

$1.42 COP 4,587

-6.34%

Eggs

$2.16 ฿72.2

$2.64 COP 8,533

-18.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.58 ฿520

$9.11 COP 29.4K

71.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.85 ฿95.1

$10.71 COP 34.6K

-73.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 ฿347

$14.46 COP 46.7K

-28.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 ฿81.3

$3.91 COP 12.6K

-37.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.37 COP 4,427

-20.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 ฿49.09

$2.23 COP 7,195

-34.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ฿49.79

$1.99 COP 6,437

-25.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.03

$2.07 COP 6,676

-42.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.25

$1.53 COP 4,954

-28.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.97

$1.04 COP 3,368

-33.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.15

$1.27 COP 4,114

-59.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.37 ฿146

$3.96 COP 12.8K

10.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.63 ฿556

$13.10 COP 42.3K

26.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 ฿55.0

$1.61 COP 5,206

2.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$2.95 COP 9,528

-7.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.50

$1.13 COP 3,658

-16.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.7 ฿1,828

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.97

$1.50 COP 4,850

-18.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.15

$2.11 COP 6,830

-72.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 ฿78.8

$8.22 COP 26.6K

-71.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.39

$1.26 COP 4,085

15.08%

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

$20.8K ฿696.1K

$27.1K COP 87.6M

-23.13%

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

$26.3K ฿877.4K

$35.6K COP 115.0M

-26.23%

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

$62.3 ฿2,081

$149 COP 479.9K

-58.05%

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

$13.01 ฿435

$12.89 COP 41.7K

0.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.45 ฿650

$31.73 COP 102.5K

-38.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.68 ฿1,292

$37.68 COP 121.7K

2.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.86 ฿129

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿221

$6.24 COP 20.2K

6.09%

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

$782 ฿26.1K

$841 COP 2.7M

-6.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.4K

$8,671 COP 28.0M

70.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 ฿1,806

$88.1 COP 284.5K

-38.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.39 ฿848

$54.5 COP 175.9K

-53.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,038

$135 COP 436.1K

-32.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,470

$107 COP 345.4K

-30.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 ฿15.9K

$729 COP 2.4M

-34.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 ฿9,178

$541 COP 1.7M

-49.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$881 ฿29.4K

$856 COP 2.8M

2.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$528 ฿17.6K

$913 COP 2.9M

-42.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,989 ฿66.4K

$2,258 COP 7.3M

-11.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,476 ฿49.3K

$1,527 COP 4.9M

-3.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$598 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.43

-46.60%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 2, 2026

Last update for Rionegro: August 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Chiang Mai versus $729 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 $44.00 in Rionegro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $293 – 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 51% 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 $1,358 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,056 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 $44.00 in Rionegro. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% 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 $905, than in Rionegro at $1,371. 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 $905 versus $1,371 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.