Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Yeosu

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,452 in Yeosu, 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
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Chiang Mai Living Index
69

Cost of Living Index in Yeosu
Learn more

Yeosu Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Yeosu

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,452

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,452 in Yeosu, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Yeosu $1,452

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,269 in Yeosu, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Yeosu $2,269

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $3,086 in Yeosu, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Yeosu $3,086

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

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Yeosu is 7% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.7

$5.82 ₩7,726

-61.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿642

$36.80 ₩48.8K

-48.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿188

$6.10 ₩8,096

-9.02%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.6

$3.65 ₩4,840

-54.25%

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

$0.64 ฿21.56

$1.39 ₩1,843

-53.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.32

$0.78 ₩1,040

-60.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$3.65 ₩4,838

-35.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$4.26 ₩5,651

-14.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$2.04 ₩2,712

-4.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$3.06 ₩4,066

-52.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.07

$3.16 ₩4,198

-57.91%

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$2.76 ₩3,656

-17.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿556

$11.22 ₩14.9K

46.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$10.66 ₩14.1K

-73.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$24.69 ₩32.8K

-62.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.5

$7.67 ₩10.2K

-69.36%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.82

$3.64 ₩4,827

-73.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$7.70 ₩10.2K

-79.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$6.02 ₩7,994

-75.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.15

$3.83 ₩5,085

-66.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.22

$3.35 ₩4,452

-67.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.84

$2.20 ₩2,919

-67.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.38

$1.12 ₩1,481

-56.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$3.33 ₩4,420

24.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿592

$14.92 ₩19.8K

17.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$2.22 ₩2,952

-27.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$2.28 ₩3,032

21.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$1.12 ₩1,485

-22.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,827

$40.83 ₩54.2K

32.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.08

$2.87 ₩3,808

-59.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.82

$0.78 ₩1,032

-32.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$10.03 ₩13.3K

-75.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$1.20 ₩1,594

20.83%

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

$21.1K ฿711.2K

$31.4K ₩41.6M

-32.85%

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

$26.9K ฿909.8K

$26.6K ₩35.2M

1.47%

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

$62.2 ฿2,100

$190 ₩252.6K

-67.35%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$36.93 ₩49.0K

-67.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿680

$22.12 ₩29.4K

-9.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,260

$54.2 ₩71.8K

-31.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$14.30 ₩19.0K

-73.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$10.40 ₩13.8K

-37.60%

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

$736 ฿24.9K

$372 ₩494.2K

97.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.6K

$18.6K ₩24.6M

-20.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,802

$57.0 ₩75.6K

-6.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿832

$38.09 ₩50.5K

-35.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,089

$75.9 ₩100.8K

20.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,429

$112 ₩148.4K

-35.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$492 ₩653.4K

-2.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$361 ₩479.4K

-14.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿34.0K

$1,162 ₩1.5M

-13.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$738 ₩978.8K

-14.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$7,166 ₩9.5M

-67.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.7K

$5,438 ₩7.2M

-70.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

$2,143 ₩2.8M

-72.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

39.25%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Yeosu: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Yeosu

$361 24.9% 17% $52

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Yeosu

$443 30.5% 88.9% $208

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Yeosu

$127 8.8% 17.1% $19

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Yeosu

$249 17.2% 164% $155

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Yeosu

$144 9.9% 85.7% $67

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Yeosu

$52 3.6% 15.2% $9.3

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Yeosu

$75 5.2% 49.1% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $492 in Yeosu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Yeosu are about 3.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $37 in Yeosu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $443 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇰🇷 Yeosu

🕒 Local time

23:07 11:07 PM

01:07 1:07 AM

2 h ahead of Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

288,988

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.54 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.77 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 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1,327 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.54 USD). 1 EUR = 1,477 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.77 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Yeosu 3,340 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Yeosu

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 Yeosu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yeosu 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 $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,178 in Yeosu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $482 in Chiang Mai and $492 in Yeosu. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $372 in Yeosu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 89% more in Yeosu, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,452 in Yeosu. 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 $1,452 in Yeosu. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Yeosu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.