Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Soledad Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Soledad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $980 in Soledad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,432 in Soledad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,883 in Soledad, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 11% cheaper than Soledad, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Soledad are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Soledad 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿65.0

$6.00 COP 21.4K

-67.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿619

$23.29 COP 83.1K

-19.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿255

$9.75 COP 34.8K

-20.51%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿63.2

$1.57 COP 5,603

22.29%

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

$0.79 ฿26.07

$0.81 COP 2,893

-2.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.74

$0.72 COP 2,571

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.9

$1.29 COP 4,589

71.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$2.94 COP 10.5K

24.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿54.4

$1.14 COP 4,079

44.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.7

$1.84 COP 6,577

-11.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.28

$1.38 COP 4,926

-13.77%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.8

$2.18 COP 7,758

-8.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿526

$6.76 COP 24.1K

136.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-49.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿357

$7.98 COP 28.4K

36.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.9

$3.25 COP 11.6K

-15.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.83

$1.11 COP 3,961

6.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.0

$1.45 COP 5,180

13.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.0

$1.60 COP 5,703

-5.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.59

$1.54 COP 5,488

-10.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.25

$1.07 COP 3,810

11.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.11

$1.01 COP 3,599

-30.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.60 COP 2,124

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿151

$2.34 COP 8,346

95.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿545

$18.09 COP 64.5K

-8.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.2

$0.99 COP 3,519

84.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿105

$0.98 COP 3,508

226.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.87

$0.72 COP 2,565

22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿616

$29.99 COP 106.9K

-37.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$1.92 COP 6,859

-29.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.12

$1.71 COP 6,115

-21.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿258

$4.91 COP 17.5K

59.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿40.35

$1.02 COP 3,638

20.59%

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

$21.6K ฿711.8K

$18.8K COP 67.2M

14.82%

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

$22.5K ฿742.2K

$30.8K COP 109.8M

-26.77%

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

$70.5 ฿2,322

$143 COP 508.6K

-50.53%

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

$13.68 ฿450

$10.94 COP 39.0K

25.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿574

$25.33 COP 90.3K

-31.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,361

$23.80 COP 84.9K

73.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿190

$2.94 COP 10.5K

96.26%

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

$307 ฿10.1K

$144 COP 514.2K

112.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿481.0K

$5,892 COP 21.0M

147.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,837

$48.10 COP 171.6K

15.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿863

$38.58 COP 137.6K

-32.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,823

$126 COP 450.9K

-32.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,378

$115 COP 410.2K

-37.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.1K

$283 COP 1.0M

51.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,857

$235 COP 839.0K

1.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.9K

$521 COP 1.9M

56.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.8K

$422 COP 1.5M

20.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿65.3K

$1,581 COP 5.6M

25.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.9K

$1,353 COP 4.8M

9.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-66.67%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Soledad: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $283 in Soledad. 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $23.00 in Soledad. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $216 in Soledad – so Soledad wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Soledad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Soledad costs about 13% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,471 in Soledad. 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.

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $144 in Soledad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Soledad – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $980 in Soledad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $980 in Soledad. 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, Soledad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.