Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan de Pasto and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan de Pasto and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $767 per month in San Juan de Pasto vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,088 per month in San Juan de Pasto vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,409 per month in San Juan de Pasto vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

San Juan de Pasto is about 10% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both San Juan de Pasto and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – San Juan de Pasto 43% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 COP 10.4K

$1.96 ฿63.6

45.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.07 COP 43.9K

$18.81 ฿611

-35.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.45 COP 23.5K

$7.92 ฿258

-18.56%

Cappuccino

$1.74 COP 6,313

$1.91 ฿62.2

-8.90%

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

$0.70 COP 2,540

$0.84 ฿27.25

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 COP 1,781

$0.35 ฿11.44

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 COP 4,319

$2.21 ฿71.7

-46.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 9,015

$3.80 ฿124

-34.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,831

$1.64 ฿53.2

-35.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 COP 4,647

$1.62 ฿52.8

-20.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,128

$1.18 ฿38.40

-4.24%

Eggs

$1.91 COP 6,938

$2.01 ฿65.4

-4.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.86 COP 21.3K

$15.89 ฿517

-63.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.23 COP 15.4K

$3.01 ฿98.0

40.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.24 COP 26.3K

$10.77 ฿350

-32.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,803

$2.61 ฿85.0

-38.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,896

$1.22 ฿39.65

-12.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,878

$1.70 ฿55.4

-21.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 COP 3,280

$1.58 ฿51.2

-43.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,033

$1.32 ฿42.89

-15.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 COP 4,142

$1.17 ฿38.01

-2.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 COP 2,911

$0.67 ฿21.85

19.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 COP 2,502

$0.56 ฿18.21

23.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 8,513

$4.53 ฿147

-48.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.05 COP 51.1K

$18.20 ฿592

-22.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,978

$1.83 ฿59.6

-40.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 COP 6,249

$3.23 ฿105

-46.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 COP 2,124

$0.89 ฿28.83

-34.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.52 COP 107.3K

$19.38 ฿630

52.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 COP 5,369

$1.35 ฿43.95

9.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 COP 5,243

$1.35 ฿43.79

6.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.18 COP 22.5K

$8.25 ฿268

-25.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,431

$1.27 ฿41.40

-25.98%

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

$18.2K COP 66.2M

$21.2K ฿687.8K

-13.98%

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

$25.9K COP 94.3M

$22.5K ฿731.0K

15.34%

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

$61.5 COP 223.5K

$70.2 ฿2,281

-12.39%

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

$7.08 COP 25.8K

$13.77 ฿448

-48.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.99 COP 83.6K

$17.60 ฿572

30.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.56 COP 78.4K

$41.57 ฿1,352

-48.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.3K

$5.78 ฿188

-32.18%

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

$242 COP 880.4K

$306 ฿9,953

-20.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,014 COP 21.9M

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-59.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 COP 217.7K

$54.4 ฿1,768

10.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.28 COP 121.0K

$26.14 ฿850

27.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 COP 302.4K

$84.5 ฿2,748

-1.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.2 COP 193.6K

$69.4 ฿2,257

-23.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$307 COP 1.1M

$424 ฿13.8K

-27.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 COP 878.7K

$238 ฿7,743

1.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$375 COP 1.4M

$825 ฿26.8K

-54.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 COP 1.2M

$515 ฿16.7K

-36.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,723 COP 6.3M

$2,049 ฿66.6K

-15.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,301 COP 4.7M

$1,523 ฿49.5K

-14.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$450 COP 1.6M

$635 ฿20.6K

-29.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.18

163.60%

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

Last update for San Juan de Pasto: April 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $307 in San Juan de Pasto versus $424 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 41% 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 $12.00 in San Juan de Pasto versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $174 vs $243 – making San Juan de Pasto 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

San Juan de Pasto vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 11% more than San Juan de Pasto, 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 $1,151 per month in San Juan de Pasto and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $242 per month in San Juan de Pasto and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% 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 $767 in San Juan de Pasto and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Juan de Pasto costs $767 versus $852 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 San Juan de Pasto. 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.