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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,492 in Changwon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Chiang Mai versus $2,305 in Changwon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in Chiang Mai versus $3,119 in Changwon.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 42% less than in Changwon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 35% below, Changwon is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$7.19 ₩11.0K

-73.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$27.41 ₩42.0K

-32.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$5.05 ₩7,733

54.85%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$3.58 ₩5,479

-45.53%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$1.80 ₩2,759

-52.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$1.00 ₩1,537

-65.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$2.91 ₩4,463

-26.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$4.34 ₩6,643

-14.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$2.37 ₩3,628

-27.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$3.47 ₩5,320

-53.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$3.03 ₩4,640

-62.38%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$2.87 ₩4,391

-32.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$10.38 ₩15.9K

56.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$8.03 ₩12.3K

-61.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$27.30 ₩41.8K

-60.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$8.50 ₩13.0K

-67.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$3.18 ₩4,872

-61.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$7.37 ₩11.3K

-78.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$5.24 ₩8,024

-69.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$5.17 ₩7,925

-72.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$2.96 ₩4,531

-60.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$2.02 ₩3,088

-67.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$1.15 ₩1,764

-53.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.34 ₩5,112

40.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$16.44 ₩25.2K

13.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.67 ₩2,560

7.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$3.35 ₩5,139

-3.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$1.08 ₩1,662

-16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$2.73 ₩4,188

-48.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.81 ₩1,239

59.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$16.50 ₩25.3K

-52.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.16 ₩1,782

9.48%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$28.3K ₩43.3M

-24.70%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$24.8K ₩38.0M

-10.48%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$188 ₩287.7K

-63.22%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$50.2 ₩76.9K

-71.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$27.31 ₩41.8K

-34.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$51.1 ₩78.3K

-19.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$11.21 ₩17.2K

-47.19%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$486 ₩744.2K

-38.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$14.2K ₩21.7M

5.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$104 ₩159.5K

-47.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$48.44 ₩74.2K

-44.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$89.4 ₩137.0K

-4.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$118 ₩180.4K

-40.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$450 ₩689.5K

-4.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$378 ₩579.8K

-37.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$1,063 ₩1.6M

-24.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$775 ₩1.2M

-33.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$1,479 ₩2.3M

-58.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

18.48%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Changwon: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Chiang Mai and $450 in Changwon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Changwon pays 139% 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: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $27.00 in Changwon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $444 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

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

Chiang Mai and Changwon differ by about 72% in total monthly costs ($866 vs $1,492 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Changwon earns 139% less. 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: $428 in Chiang Mai versus $450 in Changwon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 80% higher in Changwon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Chiang Mai versus $1,492 in Changwon – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,492 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, Chiang Mai and Changwon 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 72% less than in Changwon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.