Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ongjin and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Ongjin: $711 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Chiang Mai outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

34

Cost of Living Index in Ongjin
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Ongjin Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Ongjin

🇰🇵 North Korea

$711

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ongjin 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 Ongjin and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $711 per month in Ongjin vs $938 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ongjin $711
Chiang Mai $938

A couple spends around $1,113 per month in Ongjin vs $1,426 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ongjin $1,113
Chiang Mai $1,426

A family of three spends $1,514 per month in Ongjin vs $1,914 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Ongjin $1,514
Chiang Mai $1,914

Ongjin is about 24% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Ongjin and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Ongjin 47% lower, Chiang Mai 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.71 $2.71

$2.26 ฿75.4

19.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.81 $22.81

$19.18 ฿641

18.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 $8.04

$5.59 ฿187

43.83%

Cappuccino

$1.13 $1.13

$1.72 ฿57.6

-34.30%

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

$0.94 $0.94

$0.64 ฿21.54

46.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.33 ฿11.18

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 $6.89

$2.36 ฿78.7

191.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$3.90 ฿130

-44.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$2.05 ฿68.6

-55.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.40 ฿46.70

12.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.28 ฿42.89

68.75%

Eggs

$3.13 $3.13

$2.25 ฿75.3

39.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$16.94 ฿566

-73.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.74 ฿91.6

-18.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$9.36 ฿313

-39.74%

Apples (1kg)

$6.77 $6.77

$2.40 ฿80.3

182.08%

Banana (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$1.01 ฿33.92

352.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.61 ฿53.9

39.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.52 ฿50.7

45.39%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.28 ฿42.90

154.69%

Onion (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.11 ฿37.22

210.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$0.72 ฿24.09

213.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 $0.46

$0.52 ฿17.54

-11.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 $4.41

$4.33 ฿145

1.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 $7.99

$17.73 ฿593

-54.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.63 ฿54.4

-32.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.85 ฿95.3

-22.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.85 ฿28.31

14.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.70 $39.70

$53.9 ฿1,801

-26.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.17 ฿39.18

30.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.27 $2.27

$0.57 ฿19.00

298.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.99 $39.99

$2.37 ฿79.2

1587.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$1.45 ฿48.32

-51.72%

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

$22.1K $22.1K

$20.5K ฿684.3K

8.08%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$26.5K ฿886.1K

5.16%

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

$33.24 $33.24

$62.3 ฿2,083

-46.67%

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

$11.00 $11.00

$12.27 ฿410

-10.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.10 $45.10

$19.97 ฿668

125.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.60 $41.60

$37.91 ฿1,267

9.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.47 $14.47

$3.76 ฿126

284.84%

Cinema Ticket

$7.63 $7.63

$6.71 ฿224

13.71%

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

$107 $107

$797 ฿26.6K

-86.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,080 $2,080

$14.8K ฿495.7K

-85.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.73 $22.73

$53.3 ฿1,780

-57.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.97 $27.97

$25.05 ฿837

11.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.7 $60.7

$91.6 ฿3,062

-33.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.6 $84.6

$73.5 ฿2,455

15.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$89.7 $89.7

$464 ฿15.5K

-80.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.9 $87.9

$305 ฿10.2K

-71.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,189 $2,189

$915 ฿30.6K

139.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 $133

$552 ฿18.5K

-75.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,663 $1,663

$1,912 ฿63.9K

-13.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,376 $1,376

$1,438 ฿48.1K

-4.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$208 $208

$595 ฿19.9K

-65.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.11

5.57

27.65%

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

Last update for Ongjin: October 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Ongjin

$226 31.8%

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4% 5.2% $12

Eating Out

Ongjin

$106 14.9%

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4% 25.4% $27

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ongjin

$89 12.6%

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1% 5.9% $5.2

Clothing & Footwear

Ongjin

$88 12.4%

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7% 24.1% $21

Accommodation & Living

Ongjin

$88 12.4%

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5% 247% $217

Sport & Entertainment

Ongjin

$57 8%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5% 9.7% $5.5

Getting Around

Ongjin

$56 8%

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5% 8.5% $4.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $89.7 in Ongjin versus $464 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 run about 186% higher in Chiang Mai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Ongjin versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $226 in Ongjin vs $238 in Chiang Mai – so Ongjin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇵 Ongjin

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

16:39 4:39 PM

14:39 2:39 PM

2 h behind Ongjin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

152,878

127,240

💱 Currency

USD USD

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Ongjin Chiang Mai 3,320 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Ongjin
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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 32% more than Ongjin, 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 $1,066 per month in Ongjin and $1,408 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $107 per month in Ongjin and $797 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Chiang Mai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ongjin, where all-in costs run around $711, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Ongjin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ongjin costs $711 versus $938 in Chiang Mai. 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 Ongjin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.