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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $711 in Tunja, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,062 in Tunja, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,413 in Tunja, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 22% more than Tunja, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Tunja are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Tunja 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$2.68 COP 9,353

-26.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$14.38 COP 50.2K

30.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.71 COP 23.4K

15.50%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.07 COP 3,731

79.44%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$0.74 COP 2,588

6.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.56 COP 1,937

-35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.19 COP 4,151

85.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.11 COP 7,356

73.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.21 COP 4,239

36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.06 COP 3,698

53.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.20 COP 4,185

-0.83%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.18 COP 7,595

-8.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$4.24 COP 14.8K

276.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$5.67 COP 19.8K

-46.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$7.24 COP 25.3K

50.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$2.48 COP 8,667

11.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.18 COP 4,124

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$0.85 COP 2,959

92.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$0.92 COP 3,219

65.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.19 COP 4,154

15.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.94 COP 3,292

26.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.95 COP 3,312

-26.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.74 COP 2,586

-24.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$1.66 COP 5,797

175.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$8.41 COP 29.4K

96.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$0.83 COP 2,889

120.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.56 COP 5,447

105.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.51 COP 1,768

72.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.66 COP 2,312

106.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.55 COP 5,421

-13.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.95 COP 20.8K

31.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$0.93 COP 3,230

32.26%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$19.2K COP 66.9M

12.86%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$28.0K COP 97.6M

-19.36%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$76.1 COP 265.7K

-7.33%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$8.86 COP 30.9K

54.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$20.41 COP 71.2K

-14.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$16.80 COP 58.6K

146.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$3.81 COP 13.3K

51.44%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$242 COP 844.3K

26.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$2,419 COP 8.4M

503.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$63.7 COP 222.2K

-12.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$33.19 COP 115.8K

-21.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$83.8 COP 292.3K

2.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$37.53 COP 131.0K

92.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$286 COP 998.0K

50.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$230 COP 801.8K

3.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$521 COP 1.8M

56.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$421 COP 1.5M

21.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Tunja: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $286 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 $14.00 in Tunja. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $169 – 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 22% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,066 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 $14.00 in Tunja. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% 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 $711 in Tunja, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tunja costs $711 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 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.