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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $604 per month in Ibague vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $912 per month in Ibague vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,221 per month in Ibague vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ibague is about 30% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ibague and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ibague 55% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.95 COP 16.1K

$1.96 ฿65.8

152.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.16 COP 72.1K

$18.35 ฿617

20.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 COP 15.8K

$7.48 ฿252

-35.16%

Cappuccino

$1.00 COP 3,268

$2.02 ฿67.8

-50.50%

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

$0.93 COP 3,032

$0.85 ฿28.50

9.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 2,092

$0.36 ฿11.96

77.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.71 COP 2,303

$2.14 ฿71.8

-66.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 COP 7,218

$3.59 ฿121

-38.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 COP 3,829

$1.65 ฿55.5

-28.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 COP 2,314

$1.57 ฿52.7

-54.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 COP 2,451

$1.19 ฿40.02

-36.97%

Eggs

$1.96 COP 6,365

$1.94 ฿65.1

1.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.78 COP 15.5K

$16.19 ฿544

-70.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.52 COP 11.5K

$2.99 ฿101

17.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.70 COP 15.3K

$10.94 ฿368

-57.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 COP 9,262

$2.71 ฿91.2

5.17%

Banana (1kg)

$0.46 COP 1,513

$1.17 ฿39.25

-60.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.75 COP 2,457

$1.69 ฿56.7

-55.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 COP 1,607

$1.60 ฿54.0

-69.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 COP 1,635

$1.38 ฿46.54

-63.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 COP 1,210

$1.20 ฿40.45

-69.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 COP 1,637

$0.67 ฿22.50

-25.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 COP 1,401

$0.56 ฿18.73

-23.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 COP 9,312

$4.64 ฿156

-38.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.56 COP 34.4K

$17.62 ฿593

-40.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 COP 1,637

$1.86 ฿62.5

-73.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 2,079

$3.30 ฿111

-80.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 COP 2,356

$0.88 ฿29.68

-18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 COP 4,768

$1.36 ฿45.90

7.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 COP 4,999

$1.34 ฿44.98

14.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 COP 7,785

$8.21 ฿276

-70.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,235

$1.22 ฿41.18

-18.85%

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

$15.8K COP 51.6M

$21.4K ฿718.1K

-25.82%

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

$25.5K COP 83.1M

$22.5K ฿757.7K

13.36%

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

$46.53 COP 151.5K

$70.7 ฿2,376

-34.16%

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

$6.08 COP 19.8K

$14.04 ฿472

-56.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.74 COP 70.8K

$17.49 ฿588

24.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 144.3K

$42.15 ฿1,417

5.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 12.8K

$5.92 ฿199

-33.61%

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

$60.5 COP 196.9K

$309 ฿10.4K

-80.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,429 COP 7.9M

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-83.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 COP 194.8K

$55.8 ฿1,875

7.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.30 COP 137.7K

$26.11 ฿878

62.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 COP 279.1K

$83.0 ฿2,792

3.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.7 COP 194.5K

$70.5 ฿2,369

-15.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$227 COP 739.2K

$432 ฿14.5K

-47.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$144 COP 468.7K

$239 ฿8,035

-39.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$398 COP 1.3M

$822 ฿27.7K

-51.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 COP 684.6K

$512 ฿17.2K

-58.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,419 COP 4.6M

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-25.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$974 COP 3.2M

$1,467 ฿49.3K

-33.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$530 COP 1.7M

$579 ฿19.5K

-8.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.93

158.60%

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

Last update for Ibague: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $227 in Ibague versus $432 in Chiang Mai. 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 9% 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 $22.00 in Ibague versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $133 in Ibague vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Ibague 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

Ibague vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 43% more than Ibague, 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 $906 per month in Ibague and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ibague, 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 $22.00 in Ibague and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 84% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $604 in Ibague and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ibague costs $604 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 Ibague. 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.