Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and South Korea

Name: South Korea
Address: KR

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $906 a month against $1,543 in South Korea, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 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
76

Cost of Living Index in South Korea
Learn more

South Korea Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$906

/mo nomad

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,543

/mo nomad

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 39.5% cheaper than South Korea without rent, and 41.3% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 42.8% cheaper than South Korea without rent, and 46% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.4

$7.67 ₩10.3K

-72.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.40 ฿649

$45.23 ₩60.6K

-57.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 ฿183

$6.43 ₩8,617

-14.93%

Cappuccino

$1.68 ฿56.4

$3.92 ₩5,254

-57.14%

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

$0.66 ฿22.10

$1.64 ₩2,194

-59.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.52

$0.83 ₩1,115

-59.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.0

$3.63 ₩4,863

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿125

$4.55 ₩6,098

-18.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ฿68.9

$2.09 ₩2,804

-1.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿48.78

$3.02 ₩4,051

-51.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿45.09

$3.38 ₩4,534

-60.06%

Eggs

$2.27 ฿76.0

$3.22 ₩4,311

-29.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.31 ฿546

$13.53 ₩18.1K

20.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.70 ฿90.3

$8.81 ₩11.8K

-69.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.20 ฿308

$26.06 ₩34.9K

-64.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.1

$8.59 ₩11.5K

-72.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.66

$3.38 ₩4,535

-69.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.7

$6.23 ₩8,345

-74.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 ฿48.37

$6.09 ₩8,166

-76.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 ฿43.59

$3.97 ₩5,319

-67.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.29

$2.72 ₩3,645

-59.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.55

$2.60 ₩3,484

-73.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.99

$1.20 ₩1,608

-57.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ฿138

$3.38 ₩4,531

22.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$15.90 ₩21.3K

11.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.7

$2.02 ₩2,706

-19.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ฿96.0

$2.89 ₩3,866

-0.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.76

$1.14 ₩1,529

-24.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 ฿1,780

$46.85 ₩62.8K

13.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ฿40.81

$3.43 ₩4,599

-64.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ฿18.81

$0.64 ₩860

-12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 ฿77.5

$9.10 ₩12.2K

-74.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ฿50.2

$1.38 ₩1,852

8.70%

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

$20.9K ฿698.3K

$29.8K ₩39.9M

-29.94%

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

$26.7K ฿895.0K

$29.9K ₩40.1M

-10.60%

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

$61.3 ฿2,051

$206 ₩275.7K

-70.22%

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

$12.50 ฿419

$39.21 ₩52.5K

-68.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.36 ฿682

$23.22 ₩31.1K

-12.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 ฿1,270

$52.8 ₩70.7K

-28.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿126

$16.59 ₩22.2K

-77.28%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ฿221

$10.99 ₩14.7K

-39.95%

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

$774 ฿25.9K

$906 ₩1.2M

-14.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ฿483.2K

$23.3K ₩31.2M

-38.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,835

$56.7 ₩76.0K

-3.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.26 ฿846

$43.14 ₩57.8K

-41.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 ฿3,032

$79.5 ₩106.6K

13.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,453

$96.1 ₩128.8K

-23.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ฿15.4K

$593 ₩794.3K

-22.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 ฿9,835

$423 ₩566.8K

-30.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 ฿30.8K

$1,531 ₩2.1M

-39.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$922 ₩1.2M

-40.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,917 ฿64.2K

$16.5K ₩22.1M

-88.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.4K

$8,341 ₩11.2M

-82.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.8K

$2,293 ₩3.1M

-74.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.23

31.68%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026

Last update for South Korea: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$294 31.8%

South Korea

$423 27.1% 44% $129

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$236 25.6%

South Korea

$449 28.7% 90.2% $213

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.9%

South Korea

$124 7.9% 13% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

South Korea

$268 17.2% 185% $174

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.4%

South Korea

$165 10.6% 113% $88

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

South Korea

$58 3.7% 4.2% $2.6

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

South Korea

$75 4.8% 46.2% $24

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇰🇷 South Korea

🕒 Local time

13:00 1:00 PM

15:00 3:00 PM

2 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

51,466,201

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.46 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 October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.48 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.55 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1,340 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.46 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 South Korea 3,420 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
South Korea

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 other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Bansko

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

Denpasar, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

Amed, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

Casablanca

🇲🇦 Morocco

Manila

🇵🇭 Philippines

Pristina

🇽🇰 Kosovo

Guangzhou (Canton)

🇨🇳 China