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 $974 per month in Soledad vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,437 per month in Soledad vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,901 per month in Soledad vs $1,816 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Soledad costs about 15% 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

$6.08 COP 19.6K

$2.03 ฿68.4

199.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.84 COP 76.7K

$18.71 ฿630

27.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.58 COP 30.8K

$7.84 ฿264

22.19%

Cappuccino

$1.62 COP 5,223

$1.93 ฿64.9

-16.06%

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

$0.87 COP 2,804

$0.83 ฿28.00

4.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 COP 2,159

$0.35 ฿11.80

91.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.26 COP 4,038

$2.22 ฿74.8

-43.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 COP 9,147

$3.79 ฿128

-25.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 COP 3,810

$1.65 ฿55.4

-28.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 COP 5,992

$1.55 ฿52.3

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,429

$1.18 ฿39.79

16.95%

Eggs

$2.11 COP 6,794

$2.01 ฿67.9

4.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.84 COP 22.0K

$16.16 ฿544

-57.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 COP 19.9K

$3.03 ฿102

103.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 COP 24.8K

$10.84 ฿365

-28.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$2.68 ฿90.3

18.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,551

$1.22 ฿41.14

-9.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 4,711

$1.63 ฿54.8

-10.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,143

$1.53 ฿51.5

4.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,182

$1.34 ฿45.10

20.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 3,598

$1.21 ฿40.86

-7.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 COP 3,370

$0.70 ฿23.63

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 COP 2,037

$0.53 ฿17.70

18.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.24 COP 7,222

$4.69 ฿158

-52.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.22 COP 58.6K

$17.71 ฿597

2.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 COP 3,177

$1.85 ฿62.2

-46.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 COP 3,312

$3.21 ฿108

-67.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 COP 2,180

$0.89 ฿30.01

-23.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.60 COP 95.2K

$18.76 ฿632

57.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 COP 6,277

$1.41 ฿47.40

38.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 COP 5,358

$1.29 ฿43.52

29.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.73 COP 15.2K

$7.79 ฿262

-39.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 COP 3,103

$1.29 ฿43.59

-25.58%

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

$19.1K COP 61.6M

$21.8K ฿733.4K

-12.08%

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

$30.0K COP 96.4M

$21.7K ฿730.7K

38.19%

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

$141 COP 453.5K

$70.0 ฿2,358

101.39%

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

$10.96 COP 35.3K

$14.19 ฿478

-22.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.03 COP 80.5K

$17.42 ฿587

43.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.35 COP 75.1K

$41.64 ฿1,403

-43.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿232

Cinema Ticket

$2.95 COP 9,503

$5.78 ฿195

-48.96%

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

$142 COP 457.5K

$300 ฿10.1K

-52.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,040 COP 19.4M

$14.5K ฿489.2K

-58.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.81 COP 153.8K

$55.4 ฿1,865

-13.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.77 COP 124.8K

$26.31 ฿886

47.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 COP 405.6K

$84.8 ฿2,858

48.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 COP 365.1K

$70.5 ฿2,375

61.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 COP 916.4K

$425 ฿14.3K

-33.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 COP 772.6K

$235 ฿7,919

2.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$522 COP 1.7M

$802 ฿27.0K

-34.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 COP 1.4M

$516 ฿17.4K

-16.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,821 COP 5.9M

$1,926 ฿64.9K

-5.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,346 COP 4.3M

$1,451 ฿48.9K

-7.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

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: July 22, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $285 in Soledad versus $425 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 $24.00 in Soledad versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $218 in Soledad vs $242 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 15% 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 $1,461 per month in Soledad and $1,271 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 $142 per month in Soledad and $300 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 $974 in Soledad and $847 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $847 versus $974 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.