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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,305 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,098 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,891 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 29% cheaper than San Juan de Pasto, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and San Juan de Pasto are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, San Juan de Pasto 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$7.15 COP 22.7K

-70.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$37.98 COP 120.6K

-48.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$11.12 COP 35.3K

-49.01%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$2.51 COP 7,953

-27.89%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$1.33 COP 4,212

-42.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.85 COP 2,704

-58.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.69 COP 8,540

-17.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$3.33 COP 10.6K

13.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.53 COP 4,858

33.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$2.44 COP 7,744

-38.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.66 COP 5,256

-15.66%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$3.32 COP 10.5K

-31.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$9.33 COP 29.6K

73.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$10.45 COP 33.2K

-72.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$13.66 COP 43.4K

-31.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$3.56 COP 11.3K

-24.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.28 COP 4,048

-14.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$2.21 COP 7,022

-26.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$2.14 COP 6,802

-31.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$1.38 COP 4,390

-7.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$1.53 COP 4,844

-30.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$1.37 COP 4,334

-47.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$1.31 COP 4,157

-59.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.66 COP 11.6K

15.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$13.22 COP 42.0K

38.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.26 COP 3,987

29.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$3.08 COP 9,786

-5.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$1.10 COP 3,504

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$1.74 COP 5,532

-32.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$2.48 COP 7,861

-76.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$9.29 COP 29.5K

-74.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.27 COP 4,033

14.17%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$25.5K COP 81.1M

-17.73%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$35.5K COP 112.6M

-25.50%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$129 COP 409.0K

-50.59%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$14.14 COP 44.9K

-8.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$29.87 COP 94.8K

-31.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$36.86 COP 117.0K

5.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$6.18 COP 19.6K

6.47%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$569 COP 1.8M

37.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$5,789 COP 18.4M

153.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$96.1 COP 305.2K

-42.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$59.3 COP 188.4K

-58.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$148 COP 471.3K

-36.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$108 COP 341.5K

-31.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$670 COP 2.1M

-26.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$464 COP 1.5M

-37.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$1,073 COP 3.4M

-16.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$1,032 COP 3.3M

-49.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$1,958 COP 6.2M

0.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$1,854 COP 5.9M

-22.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.58

-51.90%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for San Juan de Pasto: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $670 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $38.00 in San Juan de Pasto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 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 San Juan de Pasto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan de Pasto costs about 40% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,957 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. 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 $38.00 in San Juan de Pasto. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in San Juan de Pasto, 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 $932, than in San Juan de Pasto at $1,305. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Juan de Pasto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,305 in San Juan de Pasto. 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, San Juan de Pasto makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.