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: $1,488 in Changwon versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,294 in Changwon versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,100 in Changwon versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Changwon is roughly 73% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Changwon is 11% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.22 ₩10.7K

$1.96 ฿65.9

268.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.38 ₩40.7K

$18.35 ฿617

49.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 ₩7,717

$7.48 ฿252

-30.61%

Cappuccino

$3.64 ₩5,416

$2.02 ฿67.8

80.20%

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

$1.81 ₩2,694

$0.85 ฿28.52

112.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 ₩1,405

$0.36 ฿11.97

161.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 ₩4,396

$2.14 ฿71.9

37.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 ₩6,100

$3.59 ฿121

14.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 ₩3,402

$1.65 ฿55.5

38.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 ₩5,350

$1.57 ฿52.7

129.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 ₩4,491

$1.19 ฿40.05

153.78%

Eggs

$2.90 ₩4,318

$1.94 ฿65.1

49.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.41 ₩15.5K

$16.19 ฿545

-35.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.31 ₩12.4K

$2.99 ฿101

177.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.40 ₩40.8K

$10.94 ฿368

150.46%

Apples (1kg)

$8.34 ₩12.4K

$2.71 ฿91.2

207.75%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 ₩4,668

$1.17 ฿39.27

168.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.45 ₩11.1K

$1.69 ฿56.8

340.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.28 ₩7,855

$1.60 ฿54.0

230.00%

Potato (1kg)

$5.15 ₩7,666

$1.38 ฿46.56

273.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 ₩4,415

$1.20 ฿40.47

147.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 ₩3,107

$0.67 ฿22.51

211.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₩1,728

$0.56 ฿18.74

107.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 ₩4,959

$4.64 ฿156

-28.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.43 ₩24.5K

$17.62 ฿593

-6.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₩2,623

$1.86 ฿62.6

-5.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ₩5,006

$3.30 ฿111

1.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 ₩1,550

$0.88 ฿29.70

18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 ₩4,043

$1.36 ฿45.92

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 ₩1,245

$1.34 ฿45.00

-37.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.69 ₩24.8K

$8.21 ฿276

103.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₩1,722

$1.22 ฿41.20

-4.92%

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

$27.9K ₩41.5M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

30.46%

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

$25.3K ₩37.7M

$22.5K ฿758.1K

12.48%

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

$191 ₩284.8K

$70.7 ฿2,378

170.86%

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

$50.4 ₩75.0K

$14.04 ฿472

259.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.21 ₩40.5K

$17.49 ฿589

55.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 ₩77.8K

$42.15 ฿1,418

24.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 ₩16.6K

$5.92 ฿199

89.02%

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

$486 ₩723.0K

$309 ฿10.4K

57.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K ₩20.9M

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-5.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₩150.6K

$55.8 ฿1,876

81.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.73 ₩69.5K

$26.11 ฿879

78.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 ₩133.0K

$83.0 ฿2,793

7.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 ₩177.9K

$70.5 ฿2,371

69.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₩687.1K

$432 ฿14.5K

6.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 ₩562.4K

$239 ฿8,040

58.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 ₩1.6M

$822 ฿27.7K

28.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 ₩1.1M

$512 ฿17.2K

50.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,499 ₩2.2M

$579 ฿19.5K

158.80%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $462 in Changwon and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Changwon pays 159% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $446 vs $243 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 73% in total monthly costs ($1,488 vs $861 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 159% higher in Changwon, 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: $462 in Changwon versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 83% higher in Changwon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,488 per month in Changwon versus $861 in Chiang Mai – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,488 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 73% less than in Changwon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.