😐A single person spends $1,434 per month in Rionegro vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,245 per month in Rionegro vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,056 per month in Rionegro vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐Rionegro costs about 54% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Rionegro sits 5% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rionegro
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.95COP 25.2K
$2.08฿69.3
282.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.93COP 155.4K
$19.61฿653
149.52%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.77COP 31.0K
$5.67฿189
72.31%
Cappuccino
$3.03COP 9,629
$1.81฿60.1
67.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85COP 5,867
$0.77฿25.58
140.26%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50COP 4,763
$0.35฿11.49
328.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.16COP 10.0K
$2.21฿73.7
42.99%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.67COP 18.0K
$3.79฿126
49.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rionegro
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43COP 4,553
$2.05฿68.2
-30.24%
White Bread(500g)
$2.49COP 7,904
$1.51฿50.4
64.90%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.77COP 5,635
$1.40฿46.57
26.43%
Eggs
$2.88COP 9,145
$2.26฿75.2
27.43%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.07COP 32.0K
$16.19฿539
-37.80%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.18COP 32.3K
$2.90฿96.4
251.03%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.10COP 44.8K
$9.42฿314
49.68%
Apples(1kg)
$4.06COP 12.9K
$2.68฿89.2
51.49%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62COP 5,131
$1.09฿36.28
48.62%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.27COP 7,191
$1.62฿53.8
40.12%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.24COP 7,127
$1.46฿48.61
53.42%
Potato(1kg)
$2.02COP 6,411
$1.28฿42.54
57.81%
Onion(1kg)
$1.54COP 4,884
$1.06฿35.21
45.28%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.16COP 3,680
$0.72฿23.88
61.11%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.32COP 4,176
$0.53฿17.51
149.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.93COP 12.5K
$4.23฿141
-7.09%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.81COP 43.8K
$18.29฿609
-24.49%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73COP 5,499
$1.63฿54.3
6.13%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78COP 8,828
$2.90฿96.6
-4.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Rionegro
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.99COP 3,148
$0.88฿29.24
12.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$53.8฿1,790
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.37COP 4,336
$1.17฿39.04
17.09%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.16COP 6,872
$0.58฿19.25
272.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.61COP 27.3K
$2.39฿79.4
260.25%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.32COP 4,176
$1.45฿48.28
-8.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2KCOP 89.5M
$21.0K฿699.5K
34.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.0KCOP 114.4M
$26.4K฿879.7K
36.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rionegro
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$179COP 567.3K
$63.7฿2,119
180.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.98COP 44.4K
$12.89฿429
8.46%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.72COP 91.2K
$20.52฿683
39.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rionegro
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$40.17COP 127.5K
$39.02฿1,299
2.95%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$3.92฿130
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.65COP 21.1K
$6.58฿219
1.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rionegro
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$793COP 2.5M
$784฿26.1K
1.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,374COP 29.8M
$14.7K฿488.4K
-36.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rionegro
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.9COP 279.1K
$55.1฿1,835
59.50%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$60.4COP 191.9K
$24.74฿824
144.30%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$140COP 445.6K
$94.1฿3,133
49.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103COP 327.4K
$74.0฿2,462
39.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rionegro
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$722COP 2.3M
$490฿16.3K
47.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$440COP 1.4M
$288฿9,594
52.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,075COP 3.4M
$891฿29.7K
20.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,018COP 3.2M
$521฿17.3K
95.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,264COP 7.2M
$1,974฿65.7K
14.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,751COP 5.6M
$1,444฿48.1K
21.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rionegro
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$602฿20.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.94
5.57
96.41%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Rionegro: September 12, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $722 in Rionegro versus $490 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.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Rionegro versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $241 – 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
Rionegro vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Rionegro or Chiang Mai?
Rionegro costs about 54% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Rionegro and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,151 per month in Rionegro and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Rionegro or Chiang Mai?
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.
How do dining costs compare in Rionegro and in Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Rionegro and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Rionegro or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 26% more in Rionegro, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Rionegro or in Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Rionegro at $1,434. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rionegro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Rionegro or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,434 in Rionegro. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Rionegro compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Rionegro or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rionegro makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.