Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Anseong-si

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $1,464 in Anseong-si, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Anseong-si, South Korea
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$935
/mo nomad
Anseong-si
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,464
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Anseong-si

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 Anseong-si actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,464 in Anseong-si, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $935
  • Anseong-si $1,464

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,374 in Anseong-si, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,467
  • Anseong-si $2,374

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,284 in Anseong-si, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,999
  • Anseong-si $3,284

Chiang Mai is about 36% cheaper than Anseong-si, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Anseong-si is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Anseong-si
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.13 ฿72.0
$6.96 ₩9,353
-69.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.62 ฿628
$38.64 ₩51.9K
-51.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.60 ฿189
$6.58 ₩8,847
-14.89%
Cappuccino
$1.66 ฿56.1
$4.08 ₩5,488
-59.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 ฿21.82
$1.62 ₩2,171
-59.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 ฿10.29
$0.73 ₩980
-58.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.32 ฿78.3
$3.07 ₩4,131
-24.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.67 ฿124
$4.82 ₩6,480
-23.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Anseong-si
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.02 ฿68.0
$2.27 ₩3,044
-11.01%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 ฿47.49
$3.50 ₩4,708
-59.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.39 ฿46.94
$2.46 ₩3,306
-43.50%
Eggs
$2.37 ฿79.9
$3.03 ₩4,065
-21.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.52 ฿557
$10.13 ₩13.6K
63.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.67 ฿90.1
$10.73 ₩14.4K
-75.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.02 ฿304
$22.97 ₩30.9K
-60.73%
Apples (1kg)
$2.40 ฿80.9
$7.24 ₩9,735
-66.85%
Banana (1kg)
$1.04 ฿35.12
$3.16 ₩4,252
-67.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.66 ฿56.0
$6.15 ₩8,259
-73.01%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.56 ฿52.6
$5.97 ₩8,028
-73.87%
Potato (1kg)
$1.24 ฿41.75
$4.04 ₩5,425
-69.31%
Onion (1kg)
$1.09 ฿36.65
$2.48 ₩3,339
-56.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.76 ฿25.70
$2.67 ₩3,588
-71.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿17.34
$1.41 ₩1,891
-63.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.12 ฿139
$3.56 ₩4,786
15.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.93 ฿605
$11.93 ₩16.0K
50.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 ฿54.8
$2.12 ₩2,848
-23.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 ฿95.2
$3.36 ₩4,520
-16.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Anseong-si
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.93 ฿31.52
$1.24 ₩1,664
-25.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$52.9 ฿1,784
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.18 ฿39.69
$3.99 ₩5,367
-70.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.17 ฿5.78
$0.67 ₩904
-74.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 ฿61.1
$8.61 ₩11.6K
-78.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.67
$1.56 ₩2,098
-5.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K ฿708.7K
$29.2K ₩39.2M
-28.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K ฿894.4K
$30.0K ₩40.3M
-11.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Anseong-si
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.6 ฿2,110
$197 ₩264.6K
-68.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.60 ฿391
$32.26 ₩43.3K
-64.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.30 ฿685
$21.04 ₩28.3K
-3.52%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Anseong-si
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.88 ฿1,278
$45.66 ₩61.4K
-17.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.70 ฿125
$15.64 ₩21.0K
-76.34%
Cinema Ticket
$6.51 ฿220
$12.60 ₩16.9K
-48.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Anseong-si
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$727 ฿24.5K
$417 ₩560.3K
74.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K ฿559.0K
$22.4K ₩30.2M
-26.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Anseong-si
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.5 ฿1,806
$64.6 ₩86.9K
-17.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.80 ฿836
$51.1 ₩68.6K
-51.45%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.4 ฿3,049
$70.2 ₩94.3K
28.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.0 ฿2,428
$90.0 ₩120.9K
-19.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Anseong-si
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$481 ฿16.2K
$562 ₩755.4K
-14.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$310 ฿10.5K
$420 ₩564.3K
-26.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,058 ฿35.7K
$1,358 ₩1.8M
-22.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$659 ฿22.2K
$1,028 ₩1.4M
-35.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,418 ฿81.5K
$6,870 ₩9.2M
-64.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,609 ฿54.3K
$5,228 ₩7.0M
-69.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Anseong-si
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$595 ฿20.1K
$1,888 ₩2.5M
-68.50%
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 Anseong-si: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$310
Anseong-si
$420 35.5% $110
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$237
Anseong-si
$428 80.9% $191
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$108
Anseong-si
$124 14.6% $16
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Anseong-si
$250 165% $156
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$77
Anseong-si
$159 107% $82
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$59
Anseong-si
$12 * 79% $46
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$51
Anseong-si
$71 39.2% $20

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $562 in Anseong-si. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Anseong-si are about 3.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $39 in Anseong-si. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $428 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇰🇷 Anseong-si
🕒 Local time
14:17 2:17 PM
16:17 4:17 PM
2 h ahead of Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
181,319
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Anseong-si 3,420 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Anseong-si

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 Anseong-si: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chiang Mai cheaper than Anseong-si?
Yes – Anseong-si is pricier by about 57%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,197 in Anseong-si. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $481 there versus $562 in Anseong-si.
Is eating out cheaper in Chiang Mai or in Anseong-si?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $39 in Anseong-si. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Chiang Mai and in Anseong-si?
Groceries cost about 81% more in Anseong-si, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $800 enough to cover costs in Chiang Mai or in Anseong-si?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $1,464 in Anseong-si. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is it better to live in Chiang Mai or in Anseong-si?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $935 in Chiang Mai to $1,464 in Anseong-si. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Chiang Mai or Anseong-si?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Anseong-si makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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