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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,342 per month in Pohang vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,006 per month in Pohang vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,670 per month in Pohang vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Pohang costs about 56% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Pohang sits 0% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.06 ₩7,535

$1.96 ฿65.9

158.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.25 ₩27.2K

$18.35 ฿617

-0.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.19 ₩9,211

$7.48 ฿252

-17.25%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₩4,273

$2.02 ฿67.8

42.08%

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

$1.48 ₩2,208

$0.85 ฿28.52

74.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ₩714

$0.36 ฿11.97

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.62 ₩5,391

$2.14 ฿71.9

69.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ₩5,416

$3.59 ฿121

1.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ₩2,679

$1.65 ฿55.5

9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.16 ₩4,700

$1.57 ฿52.7

101.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 ₩3,881

$1.19 ฿40.05

119.33%

Eggs

$2.99 ₩4,446

$1.94 ฿65.1

54.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 ₩15.4K

$16.19 ฿545

-36.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.56 ₩9,754

$2.99 ฿101

119.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.64 ₩41.1K

$10.94 ฿368

152.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 ₩3,255

$2.71 ฿91.2

-19.19%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 ₩4,795

$1.17 ฿39.27

175.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.26 ₩10.8K

$1.69 ฿56.8

329.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 ₩3,715

$1.60 ฿54.0

56.25%

Potato (1kg)

$4.79 ₩7,121

$1.38 ฿46.56

247.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 ₩4,371

$1.20 ฿40.47

145.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 ₩3,042

$0.67 ฿22.51

204.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₩1,730

$0.56 ฿18.74

107.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.25 ₩4,832

$4.64 ฿156

-29.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.77 ₩8,588

$17.62 ฿593

-67.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 ₩2,225

$1.86 ฿62.6

-19.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ₩5,129

$3.30 ฿111

4.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 ₩1,575

$0.88 ฿29.70

20.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 ₩3,631

$1.36 ฿45.92

79.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 ₩1,262

$1.34 ฿45.00

-36.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.49 ₩24.5K

$8.21 ฿276

100.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₩1,791

$1.22 ฿41.20

-1.64%

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

$27.6K ₩41.1M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

29.48%

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

$25.1K ₩37.4M

$22.5K ฿758.1K

11.60%

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

$106 ₩157.2K

$70.7 ฿2,378

49.46%

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

$51.0 ₩75.9K

$14.04 ฿472

263.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.95 ₩41.6K

$17.49 ฿589

59.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.38 ₩43.7K

$42.15 ฿1,418

-30.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.13 ₩10.6K

$6.88 ฿231

3.63%

Cinema Ticket

$10.83 ₩16.1K

$5.92 ฿199

82.94%

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

$498 ₩740.3K

$309 ฿10.4K

61.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K ₩21.1M

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-4.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 ₩153.3K

$55.8 ฿1,876

84.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.32 ₩70.4K

$26.11 ฿879

81.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 ₩130.8K

$83.0 ฿2,793

5.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₩165.0K

$70.5 ฿2,371

57.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 ₩668.0K

$432 ฿14.5K

3.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$439 ₩652.8K

$239 ฿8,040

83.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,047 ₩1.6M

$822 ฿27.7K

27.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 ₩1.1M

$512 ฿17.2K

50.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,676 ₩4.0M

$1,467 ฿49.4K

82.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,192 ₩3.3M

$579 ฿19.5K

278.28%

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 Pohang: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $449 in Pohang versus $432 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 278% higher in Pohang, 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 $18.00 in Pohang versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $359 in Pohang vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Chiang Mai wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Pohang costs about 56% 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 $2,014 per month in Pohang and $1,292 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 $18.00 in Pohang 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 47% more in Pohang, 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 $861, than in Pohang at $1,342. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pohang it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,342 in Pohang. 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, Pohang makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.