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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Cheongju versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,916 in Cheongju versus $1,354 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,562 in Cheongju versus $1,857 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cheongju is roughly 49% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cheongju 5% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.10 ₩10.5K

$1.96 ฿64.0

262.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.92 ₩54.8K

$18.81 ฿615

96.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 ₩7,048

$7.92 ฿259

-40.03%

Cappuccino

$4.20 ₩6,234

$1.91 ฿62.6

119.90%

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

$1.82 ₩2,693

$0.84 ฿27.41

116.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩1,974

$0.35 ฿11.51

280.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.65 ₩5,421

$2.21 ฿72.1

65.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 ₩8,678

$3.80 ฿124

53.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ₩3,009

$1.64 ฿53.5

23.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 ₩5,170

$1.62 ฿53.1

115.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 ₩2,664

$1.18 ฿38.62

52.54%

Eggs

$2.14 ₩3,170

$2.01 ฿65.8

6.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.37 ₩15.4K

$15.89 ฿520

-34.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.15 ₩12.1K

$3.01 ฿98.5

170.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 ₩21.9K

$10.77 ฿352

36.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ₩4,305

$2.61 ฿85.5

11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 ₩4,234

$1.22 ฿39.88

133.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.33 ₩10.9K

$1.70 ฿55.7

331.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.10 ₩7,571

$1.58 ฿51.5

222.78%

Potato (1kg)

$5.18 ₩7,686

$1.32 ฿43.14

292.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 ₩4,437

$1.17 ฿38.23

155.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 ₩3,118

$0.67 ฿21.98

213.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₩675

$0.56 ฿18.32

-19.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₩5,045

$4.53 ฿148

-24.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.40 ₩19.9K

$18.20 ฿595

-26.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₩2,607

$1.83 ฿60.0

-3.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 ₩3,307

$3.23 ฿106

-30.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 ₩1,783

$0.89 ฿29.00

34.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.2 ₩110.1K

$19.38 ฿634

282.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 ₩4,028

$1.35 ฿44.20

101.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₩1,159

$1.35 ฿44.05

-42.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.73 ₩24.8K

$8.25 ฿270

102.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₩1,783

$1.27 ฿41.64

-5.51%

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

$27.8K ₩41.3M

$21.2K ฿691.8K

31.46%

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

$24.8K ₩36.7M

$22.5K ฿735.3K

10.11%

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

$187 ₩276.7K

$70.2 ฿2,294

165.92%

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

$24.21 ₩35.9K

$13.77 ฿450

75.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.77 ₩21.9K

$17.60 ฿575

-16.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ₩90.0K

$41.57 ฿1,360

45.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.69 ₩50.0K

$6.60 ฿216

410.45%

Cinema Ticket

$7.54 ₩11.2K

$5.78 ฿189

30.45%

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

$487 ₩722.8K

$306 ฿10.0K

59.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K ₩21.1M

$14.8K ฿484.8K

-4.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.46 ₩54.1K

$54.4 ฿1,778

-32.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.11 ₩69.9K

$26.14 ฿855

80.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 ₩133.3K

$84.5 ฿2,764

6.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ₩160.4K

$69.4 ฿2,270

55.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$300 ₩445.6K

$424 ฿13.9K

-29.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$236 ₩350.4K

$238 ฿7,788

-0.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$418 ₩620.2K

$825 ฿27.0K

-49.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 ₩446.3K

$515 ฿16.8K

-41.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,730 ₩14.4M

$2,049 ฿67.0K

374.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,844 ₩8.7M

$1,523 ฿49.8K

283.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,369 ₩3.5M

$635 ฿20.8K

273.03%

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 Cheongju: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $300 in Cheongju and $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheongju pays 273% 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: $37.00 in Cheongju vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 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

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

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 49% lower than in Cheongju. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Cheongju pays 273% 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: $300 in Cheongju versus $424 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Cheongju versus $852 in Chiang Mai – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 283% less than in Cheongju. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,271 in Cheongju, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Cheongju. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $852 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cheongju 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 49% less than in Cheongju. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.