Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Mokpo

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $1,438 in Mokpo, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index
69

Cost of Living Index in Mokpo
Learn more

Mokpo Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Mokpo

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,438

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Mokpo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,438 in Mokpo, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Mokpo $1,438

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,190 in Mokpo, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Mokpo $2,190

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,942 in Mokpo, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Mokpo $2,942

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

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Mokpo is 6% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿76.5

$7.38 ₩9,806

-68.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿656

$36.24 ₩48.2K

-45.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿188

$6.72 ₩8,938

-16.52%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.6

$3.63 ₩4,824

-54.27%

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

$0.70 ฿23.40

$1.55 ₩2,063

-54.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.24

$0.65 ₩865

-52.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿80.4

$3.49 ₩4,645

-30.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

$4.45 ₩5,910

-16.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.3

$2.27 ₩3,020

-14.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.03

$3.16 ₩4,200

-55.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿43.62

$2.75 ₩3,659

-52.36%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.9

$2.84 ₩3,772

-23.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿556

$11.85 ₩15.8K

40.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿92.2

$8.03 ₩10.7K

-65.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿304

$20.59 ₩27.4K

-55.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.0

$7.94 ₩10.6K

-69.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.26

$3.23 ₩4,290

-68.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$7.38 ₩9,808

-77.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.0

$5.11 ₩6,798

-70.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.13

$4.14 ₩5,507

-68.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.03

$2.51 ₩3,332

-55.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.08

$2.83 ₩3,766

-74.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.59

$1.35 ₩1,793

-60.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$3.43 ₩4,563

25.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿600

$19.01 ₩25.3K

-5.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿52.9

$2.31 ₩3,068

-31.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.0

$3.54 ₩4,705

-19.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.86

$1.22 ₩1,621

-29.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,780

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.29

$3.56 ₩4,727

-66.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿18.99

$0.70 ₩928

-18.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿78.6

$8.55 ₩11.4K

-72.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.96

$1.44 ₩1,920

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

$20.7K ฿692.8K

$26.9K ₩35.7M

-22.86%

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

$26.8K ฿895.7K

$38.5K ₩51.2M

-30.43%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$207 ₩275.5K

-69.92%

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

$12.11 ฿405

$36.79 ₩48.9K

-67.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿666

$24.13 ₩32.1K

-17.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,239

$54.8 ₩72.9K

-32.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿126

$13.09 ₩17.4K

-71.12%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿217

$12.89 ₩17.1K

-49.57%

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

$793 ฿26.5K

$349 ₩464.5K

126.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿494.9K

$20.8K ₩27.7M

-28.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,796

$61.4 ₩81.6K

-12.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿823

$56.4 ₩74.9K

-56.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,036

$73.7 ₩97.9K

23.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,378

$85.6 ₩113.7K

-16.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.2K

$465 ₩618.4K

-2.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿9,954

$365 ₩484.7K

-18.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.4K

$1,083 ₩1.4M

-16.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.5K

$671 ₩892.5K

-17.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿64.5K

$7,710 ₩10.3M

-74.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.3K

$5,025 ₩6.7M

-71.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.7K

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: October 17, 2026

Last update for Mokpo: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Mokpo

$365 25.4% 22.4% $67

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Mokpo

$430 29.9% 82.5% $194

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Mokpo

$125 8.7% 15.2% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Mokpo

$268 18.7% 184% $174

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Mokpo

$158 11% 101% $79

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Mokpo

$12 * 0.8% 80.4% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Mokpo

$81 5.6% 61% $31

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $465 in Mokpo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $36.00 in Mokpo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $430 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇰🇷 Mokpo

🕒 Local time

19:43 7:43 PM

21:43 9:43 PM

2 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

237,739

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 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 October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Mokpo 3,230 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Mokpo

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 Mokpo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mokpo costs about 55% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,156 in Mokpo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $36.00 in Mokpo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 83% more in Mokpo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Mokpo at $1,438. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mokpo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $1,438 in Mokpo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mokpo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.