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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $703 in Tunja, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,078 in Tunja, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,453 in Tunja, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 21% more than Tunja, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Tunja are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Tunja 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$2.60 COP 9,387

-24.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$14.73 COP 53.2K

27.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$6.90 COP 24.9K

14.78%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.07 COP 3,867

78.50%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$0.76 COP 2,747

10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.59 COP 2,128

-40.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.22 COP 4,410

81.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.04 COP 7,382

86.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.23 COP 4,436

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.06 COP 3,835

52.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.19 COP 4,298

-0.84%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.26 COP 8,143

-11.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$4.04 COP 14.6K

293.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$5.93 COP 21.4K

-49.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$7.48 COP 27.0K

43.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.58 COP 9,330

1.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.22 COP 4,422

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$0.88 COP 3,178

93.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$0.91 COP 3,303

73.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.20 COP 4,330

10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.97 COP 3,495

20.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.97 COP 3,520

-30.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.78 COP 2,833

-28.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$1.74 COP 6,278

160.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$8.34 COP 30.1K

118.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$0.83 COP 2,979

120.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.51 COP 5,440

113.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.52 COP 1,876

71.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.70 COP 2,518

92.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.56 COP 5,616

-13.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$5.88 COP 21.2K

40.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$0.92 COP 3,313

38.04%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$19.6K COP 70.8M

7.80%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$28.0K COP 101.0M

-19.64%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$74.5 COP 268.8K

-5.80%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$8.80 COP 31.8K

56.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$20.58 COP 74.3K

-14.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$17.27 COP 62.4K

140.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$3.76 COP 13.6K

53.72%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$240 COP 867.2K

27.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$2,469 COP 8.9M

500.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$65.5 COP 236.6K

-17.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$33.11 COP 119.5K

-21.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$84.1 COP 303.7K

0.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$38.28 COP 138.2K

81.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$294 COP 1.1M

44.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$232 COP 839.0K

2.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$529 COP 1.9M

55.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$426 COP 1.5M

20.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.25

-67.21%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Tunja: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $294 in Tunja. 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 $15.00 in Tunja. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $172 – making Tunja 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 Tunja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 21% more than Tunja, 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,055 in Tunja. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tunja, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $15.00 in Tunja. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% 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 $703 in Tunja, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tunja costs $703 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 Tunja. 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.