Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Andong

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $1,415 in Andong, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
67

Cost of Living Index in Andong
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Andong Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Andong

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,415

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Andong

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Andong actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $935 in Chiang Mai versus $1,415 in Andong.

Chiang Mai $935
Andong $1,415

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,467 in Chiang Mai versus $2,294 in Andong.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Andong $2,294

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,999 in Chiang Mai versus $3,172 in Andong.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Andong $3,172

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 34% less than in Andong, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 31% below, Andong is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿72.0

$6.11 ₩8,216

-65.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿628

$34.73 ₩46.7K

-46.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿189

$6.66 ₩8,951

-15.92%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿56.1

$3.62 ₩4,866

-54.14%

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

$0.65 ฿21.82

$1.59 ₩2,140

-59.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.29

$0.62 ₩828

-51.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.3

$3.55 ₩4,767

-34.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿124

$4.35 ₩5,852

-15.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿68.0

$2.17 ₩2,919

-6.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$3.11 ₩4,182

-54.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.94

$2.64 ₩3,549

-47.35%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.9

$3.34 ₩4,483

-29.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿557

$15.35 ₩20.6K

7.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿90.1

$10.55 ₩14.2K

-74.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿304

$11.31 ₩15.2K

-20.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.9

$6.79 ₩9,119

-64.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.12

$2.41 ₩3,245

-56.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$4.38 ₩5,888

-62.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.6

$7.08 ₩9,511

-77.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.75

$3.26 ₩4,383

-61.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.65

$2.65 ₩3,555

-58.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.70

$2.02 ₩2,720

-62.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.34

$1.26 ₩1,699

-59.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$3.43 ₩4,604

20.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿605

$13.87 ₩18.6K

29.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.8

$2.01 ₩2,707

-19.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿95.2

$4.05 ₩5,445

-30.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.52

$1.14 ₩1,531

-18.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,784

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.69

$3.05 ₩4,104

-61.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.78

$0.61 ₩816

-72.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿61.1

$7.64 ₩10.3K

-76.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.67

$1.40 ₩1,882

5.00%

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

$21.0K ฿708.7K

$28.9K ₩38.8M

-27.22%

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

$26.5K ฿894.4K

$35.4K ₩47.5M

-25.04%

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

$62.6 ฿2,110

$208 ₩279.1K

-69.88%

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

$11.60 ฿391

$42.50 ₩57.1K

-72.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿685

$20.79 ₩27.9K

-2.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,278

$45.85 ₩61.6K

-17.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿125

$14.48 ₩19.5K

-74.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿220

$11.01 ₩14.8K

-40.87%

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

$727 ฿24.5K

$298 ₩400.5K

143.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿559.0K

$17.8K ₩24.0M

-7.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,806

$63.8 ₩85.7K

-16.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿836

$62.2 ₩83.6K

-60.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,049

$73.9 ₩99.4K

22.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,428

$97.1 ₩130.5K

-25.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$476 ₩640.3K

0.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.5K

$389 ₩522.9K

-20.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.7K

$1,172 ₩1.6M

-9.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.2K

$1,010 ₩1.4M

-34.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.5K

$6,153 ₩8.3M

-60.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.3K

$4,922 ₩6.6M

-67.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.1K

$1,826 ₩2.5M

-67.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.1

35.85%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Andong: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Andong

$389 27.5% 25.5% $79

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Andong

$395 27.9% 67% $158

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Andong

$134 9.5% 23.4% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Andong

$271 19.2% 187% $177

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Andong

$148 10.4% 92.8% $71

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Andong

$11 * 0.8% 81.8% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Andong

$68 4.8% 33.3% $17

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $481 in Chiang Mai and $476 in Andong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Andong pays about 3.1 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $19 in Chiang Mai vs $35 in Andong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $395 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇰🇷 Andong

🕒 Local time

12:45 12:45 PM

14:45 2:45 PM

2 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

166,274

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.44 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.65 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.72 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 1,344 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.44 USD). 1 EUR = 1,503 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.65 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Andong 3,510 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Andong

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Andong. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 67% lower in Chiang Mai. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $481 in Chiang Mai versus $476 in Andong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $727 in Chiang Mai versus $298 in Andong. 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 $19 versus $35 in Andong. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Chiang Mai is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, Chiang Mai and Andong are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Chiang Mai wins on affordability, Andong on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.