Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeonju and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeonju and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,244 per month in Jeonju vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,913 per month in Jeonju vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,582 per month in Jeonju vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Jeonju costs about 47% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Jeonju and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Jeonju 7% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.55 ₩9,690

$1.95 ฿62.8

235.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.84 ₩41.2K

$18.43 ฿594

51.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.23 ₩7,735

$7.50 ฿241

-30.27%

Cappuccino

$3.72 ₩5,502

$1.93 ฿62.3

92.75%

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

$1.07 ₩1,588

$0.78 ฿25.08

37.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₩992

$0.32 ฿10.42

109.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 ₩2,868

$2.15 ฿69.2

-9.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ₩4,463

$3.71 ฿120

-18.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ₩2,957

$1.71 ฿55.2

16.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 ₩3,294

$1.56 ฿50.3

42.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.07 ₩4,538

$1.18 ฿38.06

160.17%

Eggs

$2.95 ₩4,365

$1.98 ฿63.9

48.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.52 ₩15.5K

$16.04 ฿517

-34.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 ₩12.3K

$3.17 ฿102

163.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.69 ₩40.9K

$10.94 ฿353

153.11%

Apples (1kg)

$8.49 ₩12.5K

$2.63 ฿84.7

222.81%

Banana (1kg)

$3.27 ₩4,836

$1.17 ฿37.61

179.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.28 ₩10.8K

$1.65 ฿53.0

341.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.31 ₩7,846

$1.54 ฿49.51

244.81%

Potato (1kg)

$5.00 ₩7,399

$1.38 ฿44.34

262.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 ₩4,386

$1.17 ฿37.54

153.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 ₩3,111

$0.66 ฿21.25

218.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₩1,713

$0.51 ฿16.55

127.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 ₩4,796

$4.52 ฿146

-28.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ₩24.5K

$18.32 ฿590

-9.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₩2,587

$1.80 ฿57.9

-2.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ₩4,884

$3.18 ฿102

3.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 ₩1,628

$0.90 ฿28.97

22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 ₩5,121

$1.41 ฿45.50

145.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 ₩1,245

$1.31 ฿42.15

-35.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.82 ₩24.9K

$8.09 ฿261

107.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₩1,776

$1.28 ฿41.08

-6.25%

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

$27.7K ₩40.9M

$21.3K ฿686.1K

29.88%

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

$25.3K ₩37.4M

$21.7K ฿699.3K

16.60%

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

$190 ₩280.3K

$69.2 ฿2,230

174.02%

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

$50.1 ₩74.1K

$13.97 ฿450

258.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.84 ₩32.3K

$17.95 ฿578

21.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.36 ₩70.0K

$42.31 ฿1,363

11.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

Cinema Ticket

$8.66 ₩12.8K

$5.92 ฿191

46.28%

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

$486 ₩718.3K

$299 ฿9,640

62.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K ₩20.9M

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-4.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.53 ₩43.7K

$56.2 ฿1,810

-47.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.99 ₩71.0K

$26.94 ฿868

78.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.2 ₩97.8K

$84.9 ฿2,735

-22.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ₩173.7K

$71.8 ฿2,314

63.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 ₩417.6K

$435 ฿14.0K

-35.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$223 ₩330.0K

$240 ฿7,727

-6.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$561 ₩828.7K

$798 ฿25.7K

-29.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 ₩684.2K

$498 ฿16.1K

-7.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

-15.60%

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

Last update for Jeonju: April 22, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Jeonju versus $435 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28 in Jeonju versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $432 vs $244 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Jeonju costs about 47% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,866 per month in Jeonju and $1,267 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Jeonju and $18.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 77% more in Jeonju, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $845, than in Jeonju at $1,244. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jeonju it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $845 versus $1,244 in Jeonju. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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