Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $1,463 in San Juan de Pasto, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
67

Cost of Living Index in San Juan de Pasto
Learn more

San Juan de Pasto Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

San Juan de Pasto

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,463

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in San Juan de Pasto

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in San Juan de Pasto actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,463 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
San Juan de Pasto $1,463

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,144 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
San Juan de Pasto $2,144

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,825 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
San Juan de Pasto $2,825

Chiang Mai is about 36% cheaper than San Juan de Pasto, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while San Juan de Pasto is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.6

$8.83 COP 28.5K

-75.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿624

$47.05 COP 151.9K

-60.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$10.50 COP 33.9K

-46.67%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.8

$2.89 COP 9,347

-42.56%

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

$0.65 ฿21.69

$1.42 COP 4,595

-54.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.22

$1.21 COP 3,898

-75.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿77.9

$3.44 COP 11.1K

-32.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$3.64 COP 11.7K

0.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.6

$1.61 COP 5,202

25.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.21

$2.39 COP 7,712

-41.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.67

$2.06 COP 6,654

-32.52%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.4

$3.46 COP 11.2K

-31.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿554

$7.16 COP 23.1K

130.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.5

$10.11 COP 32.7K

-73.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿302

$11.84 COP 38.2K

-23.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.4

$3.75 COP 12.1K

-36.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.91

$1.37 COP 4,424

-24.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.6

$1.71 COP 5,533

-2.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.3

$1.86 COP 6,010

-16.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.50

$1.79 COP 5,794

-30.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.44

$1.72 COP 5,566

-36.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.54

$1.03 COP 3,321

-26.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.24

$1.32 COP 4,253

-61.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿138

$4.72 COP 15.2K

-12.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿601

$12.60 COP 40.7K

42.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.27 COP 4,113

27.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.6

$2.61 COP 8,421

8.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.33

$1.11 COP 3,586

-16.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,773

$66.9 COP 216.0K

-20.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.45

$1.63 COP 5,267

-27.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.75

$2.09 COP 6,752

-91.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.8

$7.85 COP 25.4K

-76.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.38

$1.29 COP 4,159

13.95%

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

$21.0K ฿704.5K

$39.0K COP 126.1M

-46.19%

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

$26.5K ฿889.1K

$33.3K COP 107.5M

-20.38%

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

$62.6 ฿2,098

$129 COP 415.6K

-51.39%

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

$11.60 ฿389

$13.90 COP 44.9K

-16.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿681

$30.01 COP 96.9K

-32.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,270

$33.00 COP 106.6K

14.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿218

$7.84 COP 25.3K

-16.96%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$581 COP 1.9M

25.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿555.7K

$13.9K COP 44.8M

19.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,795

$93.9 COP 303.2K

-42.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿832

$49.34 COP 159.3K

-49.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,031

$122 COP 394.3K

-25.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,413

$94.9 COP 306.4K

-24.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.1K

$780 COP 2.5M

-38.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$546 COP 1.8M

-43.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.5K

$1,459 COP 4.7M

-27.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$796 COP 2.6M

-17.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.1K

$2,112 COP 6.8M

14.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿53.9K

$1,582 COP 5.1M

1.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-53.58%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for San Juan de Pasto: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

San Juan de Pasto

$546 37.3% 76.1% $236

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

San Juan de Pasto

$278 19% 17.6% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

San Juan de Pasto

$162 11.1% 49.7% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

San Juan de Pasto

$173 11.8% 82.7% $78

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

San Juan de Pasto

$172 11.8% 125% $95

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

San Juan de Pasto

$83 5.7% 42.2% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

San Juan de Pasto

$49 3.3% 4.4% $2.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $780 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $47 in San Juan de Pasto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $278 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇨🇴 San Juan de Pasto

🕒 Local time

07:40 7:40 AM

19:40 7:40 PM

12 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

392,930

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.98 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 7, 2026: 1 USD = 33.53 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.47 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 7, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,609 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai San Juan de Pasto 17,750 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
San Juan de Pasto

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

San Juan de Pasto costs about 56% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,194 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 Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $481 there versus $780 in San Juan de Pasto.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $581 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 18% more in San Juan de Pasto, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $1,463 in San Juan de Pasto. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $935 in Chiang Mai to $1,463 in San Juan de Pasto. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Chiang Mai is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 36% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.