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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $612 in Villavicencio, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,021 in Villavicencio, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,430 in Villavicencio, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 41% more than Villavicencio, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Villavicencio are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Villavicencio 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$2.86 COP 9,297

-31.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$21.52 COP 70.1K

-14.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$6.16 COP 20.1K

21.43%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.27 COP 4,135

59.06%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.82 COP 2,679

3.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.61 COP 1,991

-40.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.12 COP 3,630

91.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$1.66 COP 5,395

116.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.00 COP 3,247

65.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.20 COP 3,904

30.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$0.90 COP 2,935

32.22%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$1.96 COP 6,373

-1.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$4.81 COP 15.7K

236.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.15 COP 16.8K

-41.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$7.21 COP 23.5K

51.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$2.49 COP 8,108

8.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$0.78 COP 2,554

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.36 COP 4,433

24.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.24 COP 4,044

29.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.11 COP 3,606

24.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.14 COP 3,696

5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.72 COP 2,341

-6.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.67 COP 2,174

-16.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$2.44 COP 7,930

90.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$12.11 COP 39.4K

45.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$0.81 COP 2,651

129.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.60 COP 5,205

106.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.62 COP 2,030

41.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$9.54 COP 31.0K

102.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$1.43 COP 4,649

-4.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$1.39 COP 4,517

-3.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$6.09 COP 19.8K

34.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.02 COP 3,317

19.61%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$12.1K COP 39.5M

76.11%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$17.0K COP 55.3M

32.68%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$31.70 COP 103.2K

122.93%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$11.00 COP 35.8K

27.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$22.79 COP 74.2K

-23.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$25.61 COP 83.4K

64.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$16.87 COP 54.9K

-59.22%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$3.79 COP 12.3K

56.20%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$240 COP 781.2K

28.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$8,420 COP 27.4M

76.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$53.5 COP 174.1K

4.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$32.14 COP 104.6K

-18.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$71.0 COP 231.0K

17.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$66.3 COP 215.8K

6.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$145 COP 473.0K

197.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$137 COP 444.5K

74.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$405 COP 1.3M

102.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$382 COP 1.2M

34.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$416 COP 1.4M

39.30%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Villavicencio: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $145 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 39% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $22.00 in Villavicencio. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $172 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 41% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $918 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $240 in Villavicencio. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $612 in Villavicencio, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Villavicencio costs $612 versus $861 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.