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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $608 in Villavicencio, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,034 in Villavicencio, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,459 in Villavicencio, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 42% more than Villavicencio, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Villavicencio are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Villavicencio 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$2.94 COP 10.5K

-34.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$21.86 COP 78.1K

-14.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$5.95 COP 21.2K

31.43%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.22 COP 4,373

59.84%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.82 COP 2,940

3.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.58 COP 2,054

-39.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.06 COP 3,795

100.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.68 COP 5,984

122.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.01 COP 3,624

69.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.21 COP 4,304

34.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$0.91 COP 3,262

25.27%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$1.98 COP 7,081

-2.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$4.79 COP 17.1K

238.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.02 COP 17.9K

-37.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$7.29 COP 26.0K

49.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$2.46 COP 8,793

11.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$0.80 COP 2,853

51.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.31 COP 4,695

23.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.28 COP 4,576

24.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.11 COP 3,978

26.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.12 COP 3,988

4.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.70 COP 2,490

-5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.68 COP 2,425

-22.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.41 COP 8,601

94.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$10.64 COP 38.0K

75.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.88 COP 3,126

104.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.57 COP 5,603

105.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.62 COP 2,217

45.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$9.40 COP 33.6K

104.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.44 COP 5,141

-2.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.37 COP 4,909

-5.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.21 COP 22.2K

26.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$0.98 COP 3,515

29.59%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$12.3K COP 43.9M

73.26%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$16.8K COP 60.1M

31.98%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$32.67 COP 116.7K

111.42%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$10.93 COP 39.0K

28.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$23.09 COP 82.5K

-22.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$24.95 COP 89.1K

64.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$17.21 COP 61.5K

-59.56%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.64 COP 13.0K

62.64%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$242 COP 862.9K

23.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$8,460 COP 30.2M

76.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$55.2 COP 197.0K

-0.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$32.12 COP 114.7K

-16.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$71.0 COP 253.6K

19.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$67.1 COP 239.7K

5.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$148 COP 527.2K

190.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$139 COP 495.0K

71.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$412 COP 1.5M

94.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$382 COP 1.4M

35.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$378 COP 1.3M

63.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.93

-61.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Villavicencio: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $148 in Villavicencio. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 63% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $22.00 in Villavicencio. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $169 in Villavicencio – so Villavicencio wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Villavicencio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 42% more than Villavicencio, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $912 in Villavicencio. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Villavicencio, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $242 in Villavicencio. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $608 in Villavicencio, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Villavicencio costs $608 versus $866 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 Villavicencio. 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.