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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $890 per month in Tulcán vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,299 per month in Tulcán vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,708 per month in Tulcán vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Tulcán costs about 3% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tulcán and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Tulcán 33% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 $4.55

$1.96 ฿65.9

132.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.22 $15.22

$18.35 ฿617

-17.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 $5.06

$7.48 ฿252

-32.35%

Cappuccino

$1.53 $1.53

$2.02 ฿67.8

-24.26%

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

$0.58 $0.58

$0.85 ฿28.52

-31.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 $0.48

$0.36 ฿11.97

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.14 ฿71.9

-4.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 $3.92

$3.59 ฿121

9.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.65 ฿55.5

-52.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.57 ฿52.7

-2.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.19 ฿40.05

-8.40%

Eggs

$1.83 $1.83

$1.94 ฿65.1

-5.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.41 $8.41

$16.19 ฿545

-48.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.72 $7.72

$2.99 ฿101

158.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.36 $8.36

$10.94 ฿368

-23.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.71 ฿91.2

-23.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.17 ฿39.27

2.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.69 ฿56.8

-37.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.60 ฿54.0

-17.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.38 ฿46.56

0.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.20 ฿40.47

-8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.67 ฿22.51

20.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.56 ฿18.74

89.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.09 $6.09

$4.64 ฿156

31.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.68 $8.68

$17.62 ฿593

-50.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.86 ฿62.6

-13.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$3.30 ฿111

-9.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 $0.34

$0.88 ฿29.70

-61.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.56 $23.56

$19.34 ฿651

21.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.36 ฿45.92

11.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.34 ฿45.00

8.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.19 $10.19

$8.21 ฿276

24.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 $0.66

$1.22 ฿41.20

-45.90%

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

$19.6K $19.6K

$21.4K ฿718.5K

-8.20%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$22.5K ฿758.1K

12.40%

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

$33.97 $33.97

$70.7 ฿2,378

-51.93%

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

$14.43 $14.43

$14.04 ฿472

2.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.99 $28.99

$17.49 ฿589

65.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.34 $30.34

$42.15 ฿1,418

-28.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.86 $14.86

$6.88 ฿231

115.99%

Cinema Ticket

$6.93 $6.93

$5.92 ฿199

17.06%

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

$79.7 $79.7

$309 ฿10.4K

-74.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,552 $8,552

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-42.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.44 $29.44

$55.8 ฿1,876

-47.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.85 $43.85

$26.11 ฿879

67.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 $89.8

$83.0 ฿2,793

8.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 $86.8

$70.5 ฿2,371

23.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$335 $335

$432 ฿14.5K

-22.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 $314

$239 ฿8,040

31.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$631 $631

$822 ฿27.7K

-23.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 $497

$512 ฿17.2K

-2.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,295 $1,295

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-32.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$700 $700

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-52.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.19

123.80%

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

Last update for Tulcán: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $335 in Tulcán 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Tulcán versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $243 – making Tulcán 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

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

Tulcán costs about 3% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,334 per month in Tulcán 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 Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $79.7 per month in Tulcán and $309 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 18% cheaper in Tulcán – 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 $890 in Tulcán and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $890 in Tulcán. 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, Tulcán makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.