Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ulsan

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,346 in Ulsan, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
65

Cost of Living Index in Ulsan
Learn more

Ulsan Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Ulsan

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,346

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,346 in Ulsan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Ulsan $1,346

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,197 in Ulsan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Ulsan $2,197

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,048 in Ulsan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Ulsan $3,048

Chiang Mai is about 30% cheaper than Ulsan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$7.57 ₩10.1K

-70.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$44.87 ₩59.8K

-57.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$6.13 ₩8,170

-9.46%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$3.32 ₩4,425

-49.70%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$0.93 ₩1,238

-31.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$0.43 ₩579

-27.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$2.94 ₩3,925

-19.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$4.32 ₩5,760

-15.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$2.26 ₩3,011

-13.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$3.27 ₩4,356

-55.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$3.20 ₩4,265

-58.44%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$2.65 ₩3,536

-13.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$11.32 ₩15.1K

45.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$10.42 ₩13.9K

-73.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$25.38 ₩33.8K

-63.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$11.41 ₩15.2K

-79.40%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$3.63 ₩4,836

-73.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$8.32 ₩11.1K

-80.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$6.08 ₩8,107

-75.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$5.98 ₩7,974

-78.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$3.39 ₩4,520

-67.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$2.88 ₩3,837

-75.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$1.28 ₩1,708

-61.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$3.29 ₩4,385

25.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$19.01 ₩25.4K

-7.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$2.49 ₩3,322

-35.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$3.40 ₩4,534

-18.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

$1.16 ₩1,548

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$2.96 ₩3,950

-60.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$0.73 ₩972

-27.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$17.05 ₩22.7K

-85.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$1.43 ₩1,910

1.40%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$39.2K ₩52.3M

-46.27%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$33.4K ₩44.6M

-19.45%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$203 ₩270.1K

-69.30%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$36.55 ₩48.7K

-66.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$27.69 ₩36.9K

-27.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$61.1 ₩81.4K

-38.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$10.50 ₩14.0K

-38.19%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$260 ₩346.3K

183.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$22.1K ₩29.4M

-33.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$52.5 ₩70.1K

1.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$44.45 ₩59.3K

-44.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$59.8 ₩79.8K

52.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$74.7 ₩99.6K

-3.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$374 ₩499.2K

28.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$242 ₩322.9K

27.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$740 ₩986.6K

35.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$652 ₩869.9K

-2.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$4,467 ₩6.0M

-47.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$2,431 ₩3.2M

-34.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$2,314 ₩3.1M

-74.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.22

31.99%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Ulsan: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Ulsan

$242 18% 21.6% $67

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Ulsan

$492 36.6% 110% $258

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Ulsan

$104 7.7% 4.1% $4.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Ulsan

$267 19.8% 182% $172

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Ulsan

$148 11% 90.2% $70

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Ulsan

$11 * 0.8% 81.7% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Ulsan

$82 6.1% 63.2% $32

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $374 in Ulsan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Ulsan are about 3.9 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $45 in Ulsan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $492 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇰🇷 Ulsan

🕒 Local time

10:36 10:36 AM

12:36 12:36 PM

2 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

1,129,827

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.72 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 November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1,334 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD). 1 EUR = 1,489 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.72 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Ulsan 3,510 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Ulsan

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 Ulsan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ulsan costs about 44% 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 $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,019 in Ulsan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ulsan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $374 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $45 in Ulsan. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 110% more in Ulsan, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,346 in Ulsan. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,346 in Ulsan. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ulsan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.