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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,272 in Soledad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,032 in Soledad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,791 in Soledad, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 25% cheaper than Soledad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Soledad are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Soledad 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$4.96 COP 15.3K

-57.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$41.34 COP 127.2K

-52.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$9.92 COP 30.5K

-41.63%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$3.52 COP 10.8K

-48.01%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.93 COP 5,925

-59.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$1.83 COP 5,647

-83.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$1.94 COP 5,985

20.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$4.84 COP 14.9K

-23.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.94 COP 5,970

4.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$2.36 COP 7,275

-32.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.43 COP 4,395

-0.70%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$4.91 COP 15.1K

-55.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$7.23 COP 22.3K

120.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$10.96 COP 33.7K

-71.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$12.75 COP 39.2K

-22.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$3.48 COP 10.7K

-24.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.57 COP 4,827

-29.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.89 COP 5,812

-13.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$1.81 COP 5,571

-15.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.43 COP 4,402

-13.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.46 COP 4,497

-22.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$1.14 COP 3,521

-35.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$1.13 COP 3,493

-55.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$4.00 COP 12.3K

7.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$14.37 COP 44.2K

25.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.47 COP 4,517

15.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.96 COP 9,096

-2.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$1.16 COP 3,572

-18.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$1.56 COP 4,805

-21.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$3.77 COP 11.6K

-85.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$9.61 COP 29.6K

-75.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.29 COP 3,977

11.63%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$23.9K COP 73.5M

-11.27%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$34.3K COP 105.4M

-20.28%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$79.4 COP 244.3K

-18.20%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$13.29 COP 40.9K

0.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$30.12 COP 92.7K

-30.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$36.24 COP 111.5K

11.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$8.28 COP 25.5K

-18.96%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$645 COP 2.0M

22.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$5,855 COP 18.0M

158.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$83.3 COP 256.3K

-32.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$56.7 COP 174.4K

-55.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$141 COP 433.6K

-34.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$108 COP 331.5K

-30.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$673 COP 2.1M

-28.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$475 COP 1.5M

-39.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$1,018 COP 3.1M

-10.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$947 COP 2.9M

-43.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$1,937 COP 6.0M

2.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$1,704 COP 5.2M

-14.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-62.87%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Soledad: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $673 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $41.00 in Soledad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $294 – 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 Soledad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Soledad costs about 34% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,908 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $41.00 in Soledad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Soledad, 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 $950, than in Soledad at $1,272. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Soledad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,272 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.