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 $912 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,333 in Tunja, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,390 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,026 in Tunja, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,720 in Tunja, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 32% cheaper than Tunja, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Tunja are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 33% lower, Tunja 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 ฿68.2

$7.93 COP 24.8K

-74.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.99 ฿662

$40.53 COP 126.8K

-50.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.73 ฿190

$9.52 COP 29.8K

-39.81%

Cappuccino

$1.71 ฿56.4

$2.51 COP 7,866

-31.87%

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

$0.73 ฿24.29

$1.30 COP 4,082

-43.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.07

$0.81 COP 2,529

-62.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿80.7

$1.91 COP 5,972

27.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 ฿127

$3.83 COP 12.0K

0.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ฿64.3

$1.61 COP 5,049

20.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ฿53.2

$2.34 COP 7,324

-31.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.11

$1.63 COP 5,098

-18.40%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿73.2

$3.78 COP 11.8K

-41.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.29 ฿506

$7.03 COP 22.0K

117.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.80 ฿92.7

$7.31 COP 22.9K

-61.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿357

$10.80 COP 33.8K

-0.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 ฿81.6

$3.40 COP 10.6K

-27.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.12

$1.71 COP 5,354

-36.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 ฿51.5

$1.91 COP 5,988

-18.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿49.87

$1.79 COP 5,598

-15.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 ฿41.86

$1.41 COP 4,417

-10.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.16

$1.35 COP 4,237

-21.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.55

$1.32 COP 4,142

-46.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.46

$1.06 COP 3,319

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 ฿139

$4.45 COP 13.9K

-5.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.47 ฿545

$12.87 COP 40.3K

27.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ฿56.8

$1.36 COP 4,242

26.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿94.2

$2.97 COP 9,305

-4.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.79

$1.09 COP 3,414

-14.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.6 ฿1,774

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ฿39.45

$1.00 COP 3,121

19.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 ฿18.09

$2.36 COP 7,394

-76.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 ฿81.7

$8.52 COP 26.7K

-71.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.26

$1.28 COP 4,016

16.41%

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

$21.1K ฿698.3K

$22.3K COP 69.9M

-5.52%

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

$27.4K ฿905.7K

$36.1K COP 112.8M

-24.13%

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

$64.5 ฿2,133

$128 COP 401.9K

-49.82%

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

$13.08 ฿433

$16.40 COP 51.3K

-20.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.72 ฿653

$31.28 COP 97.8K

-36.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.94 ฿1,289

$32.96 COP 103.1K

18.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.96 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.81 ฿225

$7.96 COP 24.9K

-14.45%

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

$795 ฿26.3K

$472 COP 1.5M

68.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿489.1K

$6,540 COP 20.5M

125.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,860

$79.3 COP 248.1K

-29.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.71 ฿851

$50.3 COP 157.3K

-48.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,031

$138 COP 433.1K

-33.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 ฿2,417

$112 COP 351.5K

-35.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$657 COP 2.1M

-26.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 ฿9,294

$491 COP 1.5M

-42.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$899 ฿29.7K

$1,006 COP 3.1M

-10.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿17.0K

$935 COP 2.9M

-44.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,009 ฿66.5K

$2,032 COP 6.4M

-1.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,458 ฿48.3K

$1,561 COP 4.9M

-6.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$594 ฿19.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.71

-56.18%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 10, 2026

Last update for Tunja: August 10, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $657 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $41.00 in Tunja. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $259 – 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 Tunja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tunja costs about 46% 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 $1,368 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,999 in Tunja. 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 Tunja. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Tunja, 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 $912, than in Tunja at $1,333. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tunja it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $912 versus $1,333 in Tunja. 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, Tunja makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.