Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Pyongyang

For one person, living is cheaper in Pyongyang: $415 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Pyongyang

🇰🇵 North Korea

$415

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $415 in Pyongyang, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Pyongyang $415

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $670 in Pyongyang, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Pyongyang $670

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $926 in Pyongyang, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Pyongyang $926

Chiang Mai costs about 126% more than Pyongyang, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Pyongyang are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Pyongyang 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.5

$4.77 $4.77

-53.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿640

$34.51 $34.51

-44.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$21.32 $21.32

-73.97%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.4

$1.14 $1.14

46.49%

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

$0.64 ฿21.51

$2.24 $2.24

-71.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.29

$1.31 $1.31

-76.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.5

$13.28 $13.28

-82.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿123

$4.99 $4.99

-26.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.7

$0.92 $0.92

111.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.41

$2.36 $2.36

-38.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.97

$0.91 $0.91

46.15%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.0

$2.01 $2.01

13.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿554

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.3

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.75

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.8

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.06

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.14

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.79

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.34

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿590

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,823

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.00

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.82

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

$21.1K ฿709.7K

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

$26.9K ฿907.9K

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

$62.2 ฿2,095

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

$12.17 ฿410

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿678

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,257

$73.4 $73.4

-49.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

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

$736 ฿24.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿497.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,799

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿830

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,083

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,424

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$88.3 $88.3

446.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$90.7 $90.7

240.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.3K

$134 $134

373.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$244 $244

141.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Pyongyang: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Pyongyang

–

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Pyongyang

–

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Pyongyang

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Pyongyang

–

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Pyongyang

–

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Pyongyang

–

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Pyongyang

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $88 in Pyongyang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Chiang Mai are about 2.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $35 in Pyongyang. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $44 in Pyongyang – so Pyongyang wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇰🇵 Pyongyang

🕒 Local time

15:24 3:24 PM

17:24 5:24 PM

2 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

3,255,288 Capital

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.73 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Pyongyang 3,420 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Pyongyang

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 Pyongyang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 126% more than Pyongyang, 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 $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $622 in Pyongyang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pyongyang, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $88 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $936 in Chiang Mai and $415 in Pyongyang. That makes Pyongyang about 56% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 427% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $936 in Chiang Mai and $415 in Pyongyang, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $415 in Pyongyang to $936 in Chiang Mai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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