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: $1,218 in Cheongju versus $932 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,083 in Cheongju versus $1,399 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,948 in Cheongju versus $1,866 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Cheongju is roughly 31% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cheongju 11% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.52 ₩10.4K

$2.08 ฿69.5

261.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.15 ₩67.7K

$19.61 ฿655

150.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.08 ₩8,385

$5.67 ฿189

7.23%

Cappuccino

$3.72 ₩5,122

$1.81 ฿60.3

105.52%

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

$1.79 ₩2,470

$0.77 ฿25.65

132.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ₩1,969

$0.35 ฿11.53

308.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.76 ₩5,185

$2.21 ฿73.9

70.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 ₩5,799

$3.79 ฿127

11.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ₩2,842

$2.05 ฿68.4

0.49%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 ₩4,334

$1.51 ฿50.6

107.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 ₩2,608

$1.40 ฿46.69

35.00%

Eggs

$2.20 ₩3,031

$2.26 ฿75.4

-2.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.79 ₩14.9K

$16.19 ฿540

-33.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.61 ₩14.6K

$2.90 ฿96.7

265.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.05 ₩20.7K

$9.42 ฿314

59.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 ₩4,166

$2.68 ฿89.4

12.69%

Banana (1kg)

$3.00 ₩4,128

$1.09 ฿36.37

175.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.32 ₩10.1K

$1.62 ฿54.0

351.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.95 ₩8,197

$1.46 ฿48.74

307.53%

Potato (1kg)

$5.78 ₩7,966

$1.28 ฿42.65

351.56%

Onion (1kg)

$3.33 ₩4,591

$1.06 ฿35.31

214.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 ₩3,816

$0.72 ฿23.94

284.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₩649

$0.53 ฿17.56

-11.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 ₩4,735

$4.23 ฿141

-18.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.09 ₩20.8K

$18.29 ฿611

-17.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ₩2,511

$1.63 ฿54.4

11.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₩3,142

$2.90 ฿96.8

-21.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,546

$0.88 ฿29.32

27.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 ₩3,584

$1.17 ฿39.14

122.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 ₩974

$0.58 ฿19.30

22.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.54 ₩22.8K

$2.39 ฿79.6

592.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ₩1,813

$1.45 ฿48.41

-8.97%

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

$29.1K ₩40.1M

$21.0K ฿701.4K

38.35%

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

$33.1K ₩45.6M

$26.4K ฿882.0K

25.22%

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

$198 ₩272.5K

$63.7 ฿2,125

210.62%

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

$24.07 ₩33.2K

$12.89 ฿430

86.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.80 ₩20.4K

$20.52 ฿685

-27.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 ₩75.4K

$39.02 ฿1,302

40.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.74 ₩16.2K

$3.92 ฿131

199.49%

Cinema Ticket

$7.56 ₩10.4K

$6.58 ฿220

14.89%

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

$631 ₩869.9K

$784 ฿26.2K

-19.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.8K ₩30.1M

$14.7K ฿489.8K

48.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.94 ₩50.9K

$55.1 ฿1,840

-32.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.6 ₩90.3K

$24.74 ฿826

165.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 ₩127.7K

$94.1 ฿3,142

-1.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₩155.6K

$74.0 ฿2,469

52.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 ₩387.1K

$490 ฿16.4K

-42.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 ₩294.7K

$288 ฿9,620

-25.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,137 ₩1.6M

$891 ฿29.8K

27.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$734 ₩1.0M

$521 ฿17.4K

40.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,177 ₩9.9M

$1,974 ฿65.9K

263.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,449 ₩7.5M

$1,444 ฿48.2K

277.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,579 ₩3.6M

$602 ฿20.1K

328.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

5.57

-24.24%

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

Last update for Cheongju: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $281 in Cheongju and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cheongju pays 329% 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: $49.00 in Cheongju vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $376 vs $241 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 31% 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.

Average pay runs 329% higher in Cheongju, 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: $281 in Cheongju versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $631 in Cheongju versus $784 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $49.00 in Cheongju. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,218 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 $932 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 31% less than in Cheongju. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.