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 $773 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,085 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,398 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 10% 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 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$2.82 COP 8,868

-27.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$11.90 COP 37.5K

57.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$6.55 COP 20.6K

20.00%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.66 COP 5,234

22.29%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$0.68 COP 2,142

17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.45 COP 1,419

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.18 COP 3,727

81.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.35 COP 7,412

56.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.06 COP 3,352

63.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.29 COP 4,077

21.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.13 COP 3,571

6.19%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.90 COP 5,989

3.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$5.84 COP 18.4K

177.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$4.26 COP 13.4K

-28.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$7.53 COP 23.7K

43.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.55 COP 4,896

78.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.07 COP 3,377

9.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.37 COP 4,310

24.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$0.90 COP 2,846

76.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.16 COP 3,643

19.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.14 COP 3,581

1.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.80 COP 2,518

-17.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.69 COP 2,167

-24.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.32 COP 7,316

100.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$15.73 COP 49.5K

13.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.08 COP 3,414

65.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.74 COP 5,464

91.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.57 COP 1,798

59.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$30.63 COP 96.4K

-39.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.50 COP 4,737

-6.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.51 COP 4,766

-11.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$6.02 COP 19.0K

34.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$0.91 COP 2,865

35.16%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

21.78%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$25.9K COP 81.6M

-15.83%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$62.6 COP 197.2K

13.91%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$7.08 COP 22.3K

97.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$23.03 COP 72.5K

-22.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$22.08 COP 69.5K

84.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$3.98 COP 12.5K

43.72%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$238 COP 749.3K

29.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$5,867 COP 18.5M

150.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$59.9 COP 188.6K

-6.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$32.18 COP 101.3K

-19.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$83.7 COP 263.5K

1.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$52.4 COP 164.9K

35.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$301 COP 948.2K

40.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$237 COP 744.7K

2.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$380 COP 1.2M

109.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$329 COP 1.0M

54.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,913 COP 6.0M

0.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,277 COP 4.0M

14.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$504 COP 1.6M

18.02%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for San Juan de Pasto: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $301 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 18% 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: $244 vs $179 – 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 10% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,159 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $238 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 36% 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 $773 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 $773 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.