Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeju and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,118 in Jeju, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Jeju outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Jeju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,118

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Jeju and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,118 per month in Jeju vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Jeju $1,118
Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $1,917 per month in Jeju vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Jeju $1,917
Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $2,715 per month in Jeju vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Jeju $2,715
Chiang Mai $1,979

Jeju costs about 19% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Jeju and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Jeju 18% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 ₩9,784

$2.24 ฿75.6

227.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 ₩69.2K

$19.00 ฿641

173.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ₩7,495

$5.55 ฿187

1.08%

Cappuccino

$5.87 ₩7,834

$1.67 ฿56.5

251.50%

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

$2.19 ₩2,924

$0.64 ฿21.54

242.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₩2,753

$0.31 ฿10.31

564.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.93 ₩5,245

$2.36 ฿79.5

66.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ₩4,102

$3.66 ฿124

-16.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₩3,017

$1.95 ฿65.7

15.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 ₩3,079

$1.44 ฿48.46

60.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 ₩3,085

$1.33 ฿45.03

73.68%

Eggs

$2.62 ₩3,498

$2.28 ฿77.1

14.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 ₩2,940

$0.97 ฿32.79

126.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 ₩3,960

$1.28 ฿43.11

132.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 ₩2,496

$1.10 ฿37.18

70.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 ₩3,038

$0.71 ฿23.82

221.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₩624

$0.49 ฿16.36

-4.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 ₩15.3K

$17.52 ฿591

-34.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₩2,465

$1.61 ฿54.5

14.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₩2,295

$2.78 ฿93.9

-38.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 ₩1,321

$0.87 ฿29.30

13.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,825

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.04

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 ₩1,835

$1.45 ฿48.88

-5.52%

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

$21.1K ฿710.5K

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

$26.9K ฿909.0K

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

$214 ₩285.7K

$62.2 ฿2,098

244.22%

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

$54.0 ₩72.0K

$12.17 ฿411

343.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.65 ₩26.2K

$20.12 ฿679

-2.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

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)

$25.3K ₩33.8M

$14.8K ฿498.2K

71.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 ₩70.3K

$53.4 ฿1,801

-1.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.78 ₩39.8K

$24.64 ฿831

20.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 ₩88.9K

$91.5 ฿3,087

-27.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.8 ₩121.2K

$71.9 ฿2,427

26.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₩615.2K

$482 ฿16.3K

-4.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 ₩518.2K

$309 ฿10.4K

25.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,372 ₩1.8M

$1,006 ฿33.9K

36.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ₩1.6M

$633 ฿21.4K

88.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.8K ₩14.4M

$2,363 ฿79.7K

355.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,659 ₩8.9M

$1,589 ฿53.6K

319.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,883 ₩2.5M

$590 ฿19.9K

219.34%

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 Jeju: October 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Jeju

–

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Groceries & Markets

Jeju

–

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Jeju

–

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Jeju

–

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Eating Out

Jeju

–

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Getting Around

Jeju

–

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Jeju

–

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $461 in Jeju versus $482 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Jeju are about 3.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Jeju versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $142 in Jeju vs $234 in Chiang Mai – so Jeju wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Jeju

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

04:21 4:21 AM

02:21 2:21 AM

2 h behind Jeju

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

469,279

127,240

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.49 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.71 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 1,335 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.49 USD). 1 EUR = 1,491 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.71 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Jeju Chiang Mai 3,180 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Jeju
Chiang Mai

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

Jeju vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jeju costs about 19% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,677 per month in Jeju and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $461 in Jeju and $482 in Chiang Mai. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,118 in Jeju and $936 in Chiang Mai. That makes Chiang Mai about 16% cheaper.

Interestingly, groceries are about 40% cheaper in Jeju – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,118 in Jeju and $936 in Chiang Mai. 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 $1,118 in Jeju. 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, Jeju makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.