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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $761 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,072 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,383 in San Juan de Pasto, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 14% 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 35% lower, San Juan de Pasto 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$2.84 COP 9,927

-30.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$12.25 COP 42.8K

53.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.40 COP 22.3K

21.09%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.69 COP 5,890

13.61%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.64 COP 2,222

23.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.48 COP 1,689

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.19 COP 4,155

85.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.39 COP 8,355

53.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.06 COP 3,701

55.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.30 COP 4,525

25.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.13 COP 3,929

5.31%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$1.92 COP 6,717

4.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$6.06 COP 21.2K

163.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.17 COP 14.5K

-27.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$7.33 COP 25.6K

48.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.59 COP 5,566

73.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.08 COP 3,756

9.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.36 COP 4,737

20.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.87 COP 3,039

74.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.16 COP 4,056

18.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.16 COP 4,061

2.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.80 COP 2,792

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.69 COP 2,423

-18.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.33 COP 8,120

96.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$14.17 COP 49.5K

16.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.12 COP 3,919

63.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.72 COP 6,002

86.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.57 COP 1,996

54.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$30.32 COP 105.8K

-38.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.46 COP 5,094

-6.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.46 COP 5,079

-8.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.09 COP 21.2K

28.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.89 COP 3,106

38.20%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$18.0K COP 62.7M

20.41%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$26.0K COP 90.6M

-13.14%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$62.9 COP 219.4K

12.20%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$7.29 COP 25.5K

87.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$23.41 COP 81.7K

-25.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$21.75 COP 75.9K

90.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$3.84 COP 13.4K

50.26%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$238 COP 832.3K

28.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$5,971 COP 20.8M

144.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$60.1 COP 209.7K

-7.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$32.04 COP 111.8K

-18.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$83.1 COP 290.2K

3.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$53.7 COP 187.5K

34.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$306 COP 1.1M

40.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$236 COP 822.5K

1.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$382 COP 1.3M

114.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$324 COP 1.1M

57.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,701 COP 5.9M

16.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,116 COP 3.9M

32.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$453 COP 1.6M

36.59%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for San Juan de Pasto: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $306 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 37% 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: $241 vs $176 – 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 14% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,142 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 $307 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 37% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $761 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 $761 versus $869 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.