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 $1,307 per month in Pohang vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,611 per month in Pohang vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,915 per month in Pohang vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Pohang costs about 38% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Pohang and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Pohang 5% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.81 ₩7,898

$2.08 ฿69.2

179.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.80 ₩29.6K

$19.64 ฿651

11.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.59 ₩8,957

$5.65 ฿188

16.64%

Cappuccino

$2.87 ₩3,902

$1.81 ฿59.9

58.56%

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

$1.44 ₩1,951

$0.71 ฿23.66

102.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₩637

$0.32 ฿10.48

46.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 ₩4,815

$2.24 ฿74.2

58.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 ₩4,849

$3.63 ฿121

-1.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 ₩2,559

$1.96 ฿65.0

-4.08%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₩4,304

$1.50 ฿49.83

111.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 ₩3,378

$1.34 ฿44.32

85.07%

Eggs

$2.64 ₩3,590

$2.26 ฿75.1

16.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.95 ₩14.9K

$16.26 ฿539

-32.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.49 ₩8,817

$2.95 ฿98.0

120.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.37 ₩33.1K

$9.94 ฿330

145.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 ₩2,905

$2.57 ฿85.3

-16.73%

Banana (1kg)

$3.49 ₩4,741

$1.06 ฿35.04

229.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.70 ₩10.5K

$1.61 ฿53.5

378.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.98 ₩4,044

$1.52 ฿50.4

96.05%

Potato (1kg)

$4.90 ₩6,663

$1.27 ฿42.14

285.83%

Onion (1kg)

$3.32 ₩4,519

$1.07 ฿35.37

210.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 ₩3,040

$0.72 ฿23.89

211.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₩1,761

$0.51 ฿16.87

154.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ₩4,373

$4.19 ฿139

-23.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.42 ₩8,732

$17.87 ฿593

-64.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 ₩1,970

$1.69 ฿56.2

-14.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ₩4,480

$2.84 ฿94.1

16.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,787

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ₩4,596

$1.23 ฿40.95

174.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₩817

$0.58 ฿19.13

3.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.22 ₩22.0K

$2.42 ฿80.4

570.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₩1,652

$1.41 ฿46.84

-13.48%

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

$28.8K ₩39.2M

$21.4K ฿711.3K

34.53%

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

$27.9K ₩37.9M

$27.3K ฿906.7K

2.08%

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

$97.7 ₩132.8K

$63.7 ฿2,112

53.48%

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

$35.52 ₩48.3K

$12.85 ฿426

176.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.97 ₩35.3K

$20.22 ฿671

28.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.64 ₩38.9K

$38.74 ฿1,285

-26.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.20 ₩9,785

$3.97 ฿132

81.36%

Cinema Ticket

$10.87 ₩14.8K

$6.74 ฿223

61.28%

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

$612 ₩831.6K

$778 ฿25.8K

-21.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K ₩29.2M

$14.6K ฿484.6K

46.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₩137.3K

$54.3 ฿1,801

86.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.7 ₩86.6K

$25.45 ฿844

150.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.1 ₩125.2K

$94.3 ฿3,129

-2.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₩150.6K

$73.4 ฿2,436

50.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₩616.6K

$289 ฿9,596

56.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,891 ₩3.9M

$1,477 ฿49.0K

95.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,242 ₩3.0M

$602 ฿20.0K

272.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

5.57

-24.24%

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

Last update for Pohang: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 272% 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 $22.00 in Pohang versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $240 – 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

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

Pohang costs about 38% 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 $1,961 per month in Pohang and $1,421 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Pohang and $20.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% 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 $947, than in Pohang at $1,307. 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 $947 versus $1,307 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.