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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,492 in Changwon versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,305 in Changwon versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,119 in Changwon versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Changwon is roughly 72% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Changwon is 11% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.19 ₩10.9K

$1.94 ฿63.5

270.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.41 ₩41.5K

$18.64 ฿609

47.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 ₩7,648

$7.82 ฿255

-35.42%

Cappuccino

$3.58 ₩5,419

$1.95 ฿63.8

83.59%

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

$1.80 ₩2,728

$0.85 ฿27.77

111.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 ₩1,520

$0.35 ฿11.58

185.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 ₩4,413

$2.13 ฿69.6

36.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 ₩6,569

$3.73 ฿122

16.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 ₩3,588

$1.71 ฿56.0

38.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 ₩5,261

$1.63 ฿53.2

112.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 ₩4,589

$1.14 ฿37.15

165.79%

Eggs

$2.87 ₩4,342

$1.93 ฿63.1

48.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.38 ₩15.7K

$16.21 ฿530

-35.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.03 ₩12.2K

$3.12 ฿102

157.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.30 ₩41.4K

$10.90 ฿356

150.46%

Apples (1kg)

$8.50 ₩12.9K

$2.75 ฿90.0

209.09%

Banana (1kg)

$3.18 ₩4,818

$1.21 ฿39.52

162.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.37 ₩11.2K

$1.62 ฿53.0

354.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.24 ₩7,935

$1.59 ฿51.8

229.56%

Potato (1kg)

$5.17 ₩7,838

$1.40 ฿45.70

269.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 ₩4,481

$1.17 ฿38.17

152.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 ₩3,054

$0.66 ฿21.60

206.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 ₩1,744

$0.53 ฿17.22

116.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.34 ₩5,056

$4.69 ฿153

-28.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.44 ₩24.9K

$18.66 ฿609

-11.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₩2,531

$1.80 ฿58.8

-7.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 ₩5,083

$3.23 ฿106

3.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₩1,643

$0.90 ฿29.26

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 ₩4,142

$1.41 ฿45.91

93.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 ₩1,225

$1.29 ฿42.12

-37.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.50 ₩25.0K

$7.84 ฿256

110.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₩1,762

$1.27 ฿41.58

-8.66%

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

$28.3K ₩42.8M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

32.80%

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

$24.8K ₩37.6M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

11.71%

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

$188 ₩284.5K

$69.1 ฿2,256

171.85%

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

$50.2 ₩76.1K

$14.08 ฿460

256.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.31 ₩41.4K

$18.00 ฿588

51.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.1 ₩77.5K

$41.06 ฿1,341

24.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$11.21 ₩17.0K

$5.92 ฿193

89.36%

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

$486 ₩736.0K

$299 ฿9,766

62.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K ₩21.5M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-5.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₩157.7K

$54.7 ฿1,787

90.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.44 ₩73.4K

$26.77 ฿874

80.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 ₩135.4K

$85.0 ฿2,776

5.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ₩178.4K

$70.6 ฿2,306

66.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$450 ₩681.9K

$428 ฿14.0K

5.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 ₩573.4K

$237 ฿7,752

59.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 ₩1.6M

$801 ฿26.2K

32.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$775 ₩1.2M

$515 ฿16.8K

50.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,479 ₩2.2M

$617 ฿20.2K

139.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

-15.60%

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

Last update for Changwon: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $450 in Changwon and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Changwon pays 139% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $27.00 in Changwon vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $444 vs $246 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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

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

Changwon and Chiang Mai differ by about 72% in total monthly costs ($1,492 vs $866 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Changwon pays 139% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $450 in Changwon versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 80% higher in Changwon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,492 per month in Changwon versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,492 in Changwon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Changwon. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Changwon and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Changwon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.