Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and San Juan de Pasto Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and San Juan de Pasto

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $767 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,088 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,409 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 11% more than San Juan de Pasto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and San Juan de Pasto are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, San Juan de Pasto 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$2.85 COP 10.4K

-31.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿611

$12.07 COP 43.9K

55.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿258

$6.45 COP 23.5K

22.79%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.2

$1.74 COP 6,313

9.77%

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

$0.84 ฿27.25

$0.70 COP 2,540

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.44

$0.49 COP 1,781

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿71.7

$1.19 COP 4,319

85.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.48 COP 9,015

53.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.2

$1.05 COP 3,831

56.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.8

$1.28 COP 4,647

26.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.40

$1.13 COP 4,128

4.42%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.4

$1.91 COP 6,938

5.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿517

$5.86 COP 21.3K

171.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.0

$4.23 COP 15.4K

-28.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿350

$7.24 COP 26.3K

48.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.0

$1.60 COP 5,803

63.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.65

$1.07 COP 3,896

14.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.4

$1.34 COP 4,878

26.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.2

$0.90 COP 3,280

75.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿42.89

$1.11 COP 4,033

18.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.01

$1.14 COP 4,142

2.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.85

$0.80 COP 2,911

-16.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.21

$0.69 COP 2,502

-18.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿147

$2.34 COP 8,513

93.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿592

$14.05 COP 51.1K

29.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.6

$1.09 COP 3,978

67.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.72 COP 6,249

87.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿28.83

$0.58 COP 2,124

53.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿630

$29.52 COP 107.3K

-34.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿43.95

$1.48 COP 5,369

-8.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿43.79

$1.44 COP 5,243

-6.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿268

$6.18 COP 22.5K

33.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.40

$0.94 COP 3,431

35.11%

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

$21.2K ฿687.8K

$18.2K COP 66.2M

16.25%

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

$22.5K ฿731.0K

$25.9K COP 94.3M

-13.30%

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

$70.2 ฿2,281

$61.5 COP 223.5K

14.14%

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

$13.77 ฿448

$7.08 COP 25.8K

94.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿572

$22.99 COP 83.6K

-23.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,352

$21.56 COP 78.4K

92.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿188

$3.92 COP 14.3K

47.45%

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

$306 ฿9,953

$242 COP 880.4K

26.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿482.0K

$6,014 COP 21.9M

146.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,768

$59.9 COP 217.7K

-9.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿850

$33.28 COP 121.0K

-21.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,748

$83.1 COP 302.4K

1.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,257

$53.2 COP 193.6K

30.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.8K

$307 COP 1.1M

38.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,743

$242 COP 878.7K

-1.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿26.8K

$375 COP 1.4M

120.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.7K

$327 COP 1.2M

57.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿66.6K

$1,723 COP 6.3M

18.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.5K

$1,301 COP 4.7M

17.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

$450 COP 1.6M

41.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.18

-62.06%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for San Juan de Pasto: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $307 in San Juan de Pasto. 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 41% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $12.00 in San Juan de Pasto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $174 – making San Juan de Pasto 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 San Juan de Pasto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 11% more than San Juan de 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 $1,151 in San Juan de Pasto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Juan de 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 San Juan de Pasto. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $767 in San Juan de Pasto, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Juan de Pasto costs $767 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 San Juan de 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.