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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $985 per month in Soledad vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,454 per month in Soledad vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,923 per month in Soledad vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Soledad costs about 17% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Soledad and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Soledad 27% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.98 COP 21.4K

$1.95 ฿62.8

206.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.15 COP 82.8K

$18.43 ฿594

25.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.41 COP 33.7K

$7.50 ฿241

25.47%

Cappuccino

$1.59 COP 5,689

$1.93 ฿62.3

-17.62%

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

$0.82 COP 2,935

$0.78 ฿25.08

5.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,576

$0.32 ฿10.42

125.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 COP 4,679

$2.15 ฿69.2

-39.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 COP 10.6K

$3.71 ฿120

-20.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 COP 4,299

$1.71 ฿55.2

-29.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 COP 6,927

$1.56 ฿50.3

24.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 4,959

$1.18 ฿38.06

17.80%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 7,813

$1.98 ฿63.9

10.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.00 COP 25.1K

$16.04 ฿517

-56.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.00 COP 21.5K

$3.17 ฿102

89.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.88 COP 28.2K

$10.94 ฿353

-27.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 COP 11.9K

$2.63 ฿84.7

25.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,959

$1.17 ฿37.61

-5.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 5,208

$1.65 ฿53.0

-11.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,830

$1.54 ฿49.51

5.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 COP 5,511

$1.38 ฿44.34

11.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,807

$1.17 ฿37.54

-9.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 COP 3,753

$0.66 ฿21.25

59.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 2,141

$0.51 ฿16.55

17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 COP 8,451

$4.52 ฿146

-47.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 COP 66.6K

$18.32 ฿590

1.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 COP 3,492

$1.80 ฿57.9

-45.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 COP 3,519

$3.18 ฿102

-69.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 COP 2,619

$0.90 ฿28.97

-18.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.27 COP 108.3K

$19.00 ฿612

59.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 COP 7,142

$1.41 ฿45.50

41.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 COP 6,167

$1.31 ฿42.15

31.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.70 COP 16.8K

$8.09 ฿261

-41.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,696

$1.28 ฿41.08

-19.53%

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

$18.9K COP 67.5M

$21.3K ฿686.1K

-11.43%

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

$30.1K COP 107.8M

$21.7K ฿699.3K

38.83%

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

$142 COP 509.1K

$69.2 ฿2,230

105.58%

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

$10.65 COP 38.1K

$13.97 ฿450

-23.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.75 COP 88.6K

$17.95 ฿578

37.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.19 COP 83.0K

$42.31 ฿1,363

-45.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$2.89 COP 10.3K

$5.92 ฿191

-51.18%

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

$140 COP 501.8K

$299 ฿9,640

-53.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,010 COP 21.5M

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-59.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.22 COP 176.2K

$56.2 ฿1,810

-12.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.44 COP 137.6K

$26.94 ฿868

42.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 COP 452.3K

$84.9 ฿2,735

48.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 COP 405.6K

$71.8 ฿2,314

57.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 COP 1.0M

$435 ฿14.0K

-35.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 COP 840.8K

$240 ฿7,727

-2.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$535 COP 1.9M

$798 ฿25.7K

-32.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$427 COP 1.5M

$498 ฿16.1K

-14.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,812 COP 6.5M

$1,995 ฿64.3K

-9.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,264 COP 4.5M

$1,532 ฿49.4K

-17.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

200.00%

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

Last update for Soledad: April 20, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $281 in Soledad versus $435 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 $23 in Soledad versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $220 in Soledad vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Soledad 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

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

Soledad costs about 17% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,477 per month in Soledad and $1,267 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Kindergarten costs $140 per month in Soledad and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Soledad – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $985 in Soledad and $845 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $985 in Soledad. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Soledad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.