Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pyongyang and Chiang Mai

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Pyongyang: $415 a month against $936 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Pyongyang

🇰🇵 North Korea

$415

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $415 per month in Pyongyang vs $936 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Pyongyang $415
Chiang Mai $936

A couple spends around $670 per month in Pyongyang vs $1,457 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Pyongyang $670
Chiang Mai $1,457

A family of three spends $926 per month in Pyongyang vs $1,979 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Pyongyang $926
Chiang Mai $1,979

Pyongyang is about 56% cheaper than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Pyongyang and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Pyongyang 70% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.77 $4.77

$2.24 ฿75.5

112.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.51 $34.51

$19.00 ฿640

81.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$21.32 $21.32

$5.55 ฿187

284.14%

Cappuccino

$1.14 $1.14

$1.67 ฿56.4

-31.74%

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

$2.24 $2.24

$0.64 ฿21.51

250.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 $1.31

$0.31 ฿10.29

322.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.28 $13.28

$2.36 ฿79.5

462.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 $4.99

$3.66 ฿123

36.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.95 ฿65.7

-52.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.44 ฿48.41

63.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.33 ฿44.97

-31.58%

Eggs

$2.01 $2.01

$2.28 ฿77.0

-11.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿554

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.8

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.3

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.75

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.8

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.06

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.14

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.79

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.34

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿590

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,823

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.00

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.78

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.82

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

$21.1K ฿709.7K

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

$26.9K ฿907.9K

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

$62.2 ฿2,095

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

$12.17 ฿410

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿678

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.4 $73.4

$37.31 ฿1,257

96.84%

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)

$14.8K ฿497.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,799

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿830

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,083

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,424

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$88.3 $88.3

$482 ฿16.3K

-81.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$90.7 $90.7

$309 ฿10.4K

-70.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$134 $134

$633 ฿21.3K

-78.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$244 $244

$590 ฿19.9K

-58.62%

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 Pyongyang: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Pyongyang

–

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Groceries & Markets

Pyongyang

–

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Clothing & Footwear

Pyongyang

–

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pyongyang

–

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Eating Out

Pyongyang

–

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Getting Around

Pyongyang

–

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Pyongyang

–

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $88 in Pyongyang 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 Chiang Mai are about 2.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35 in Pyongyang versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $44 in Pyongyang vs $234 in Chiang Mai – so Pyongyang wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇰🇵 Pyongyang

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

17:11 5:11 PM

15:11 3:11 PM

2 h behind Pyongyang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,255,288 Capital

127,240

💱 Currency

USD USD

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Pyongyang Chiang Mai 3,420 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Pyongyang
Chiang Mai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated June 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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

Chiang Mai costs about 126% more than Pyongyang, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $622 per month in Pyongyang and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pyongyang, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $88 there versus $482 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $415 in Pyongyang and $936 in Chiang Mai. That makes Pyongyang about 56% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 427% more in Chiang Mai, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $415 in Pyongyang and $936 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $415 in Pyongyang to $936 in Chiang Mai. 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 Pyongyang. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.