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 $942 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,315 in Tunja, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,427 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,022 in Tunja, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,912 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,729 in Tunja, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 28% cheaper than Tunja, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Tunja are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Tunja 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.4

$5.72 COP 18.8K

-63.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.91 ฿664

$32.70 COP 107.7K

-39.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.58 ฿186

$9.48 COP 31.2K

-41.14%

Cappuccino

$1.74 ฿58.0

$2.21 COP 7,278

-21.27%

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

$0.72 ฿24.01

$1.41 COP 4,635

-48.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.67

$1.07 COP 3,515

-70.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 ฿75.1

$1.71 COP 5,638

31.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿127

$2.64 COP 8,701

44.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.4

$1.53 COP 5,028

32.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.49 COP 4,913

5.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.58

$1.76 COP 5,788

-20.45%

Eggs

$2.15 ฿71.8

$3.30 COP 10.9K

-34.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.63 ฿522

$8.27 COP 27.2K

89.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.3

$14.71 COP 48.5K

-79.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 ฿317

$17.90 COP 58.9K

-46.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 ฿86.9

$3.56 COP 11.7K

-26.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 ฿36.08

$1.44 COP 4,744

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.1

$2.19 COP 7,219

-27.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿48.47

$1.82 COP 5,979

-20.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.60

$1.44 COP 4,759

-11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.07

$1.49 COP 4,920

-25.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ฿24.23

$0.94 COP 3,089

-22.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.67

$0.94 COP 3,104

-46.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿143

$4.45 COP 14.7K

-4.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.67 ฿590

$12.95 COP 42.6K

36.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.45 COP 4,790

15.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿93.5

$1.68 COP 5,517

66.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿28.87

$1.13 COP 3,709

-23.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.2 ฿1,808

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.47

$0.98 COP 3,239

23.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.98

$2.05 COP 6,750

-73.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$7.82 COP 25.8K

-69.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ฿48.84

$1.32 COP 4,353

10.61%

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

$21.0K ฿701.2K

$27.5K COP 90.4M

-23.48%

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

$26.7K ฿890.8K

$33.7K COP 111.0M

-20.82%

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

$62.1 ฿2,071

$180 COP 593.5K

-65.55%

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

$12.93 ฿431

$10.94 COP 36.0K

18.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.61 ฿688

$26.31 COP 86.6K

-21.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.21 ฿1,308

$36.98 COP 121.8K

6.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿126

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 ฿217

$6.51 COP 21.4K

0.15%

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

$803 ฿26.8K

$641 COP 2.1M

25.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿490.4K

$6,693 COP 22.0M

119.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 ฿1,864

$53.2 COP 175.3K

4.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.51 ฿851

$57.2 COP 188.5K

-55.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 ฿3,039

$125 COP 410.9K

-27.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,446

$98.0 COP 322.9K

-25.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.1K

$698 COP 2.3M

-30.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,617

$472 COP 1.6M

-38.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 ฿29.5K

$1,043 COP 3.4M

-15.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 ฿17.5K

$985 COP 3.2M

-46.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,989 ฿66.4K

$1,991 COP 6.6M

-0.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,440 ฿48.1K

$1,704 COP 5.6M

-15.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.4

-55.08%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 21, 2026

Last update for Tunja: September 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $698 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 $33.00 in Tunja. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $306 – 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 39% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,972 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 $33.00 in Tunja. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% 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 $942, than in Tunja at $1,315. 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 $942 versus $1,315 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.