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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,395 per month in Seogwipo vs $848 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Seogwipo vs $1,331 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,983 per month in Seogwipo vs $1,814 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Seogwipo costs about 65% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Seogwipo sits 5% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.04 ₩10.6K

$1.96 ฿63.6

259.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.30 ₩56.4K

$18.39 ฿598

102.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ₩8,443

$7.87 ฿256

-28.97%

Cappuccino

$3.77 ₩5,703

$1.95 ฿63.4

93.33%

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

$1.58 ₩2,382

$0.85 ฿27.57

85.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₩1,208

$0.32 ฿10.52

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 ₩4,891

$2.14 ฿69.6

51.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.88 ₩7,373

$3.68 ฿120

32.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 ₩3,344

$1.66 ฿53.9

33.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.09 ₩4,668

$1.56 ฿50.7

98.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 ₩4,578

$1.19 ฿38.63

154.62%

Eggs

$2.91 ₩4,397

$1.99 ฿64.7

46.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.58 ₩16.0K

$16.24 ฿528

-34.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.11 ₩12.3K

$3.17 ฿103

155.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.65 ₩41.8K

$10.84 ฿352

155.07%

Apples (1kg)

$7.64 ₩11.5K

$2.65 ฿86.2

188.30%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 ₩4,676

$1.22 ฿39.67

153.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.40 ₩8,157

$1.65 ฿53.7

227.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.42 ₩8,184

$1.55 ฿50.3

249.68%

Potato (1kg)

$3.82 ₩5,772

$1.33 ฿43.17

187.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 ₩4,448

$1.21 ฿39.43

142.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 ₩3,302

$0.68 ฿22.04

222.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ₩1,765

$0.57 ฿18.38

105.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,974

$4.68 ฿152

-29.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.59 ₩25.1K

$16.99 ฿552

-2.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ₩2,823

$1.82 ฿59.3

2.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₩4,905

$3.18 ฿103

2.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₩1,626

$0.91 ฿29.46

18.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 ₩5,187

$1.41 ฿45.80

143.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩868

$1.34 ฿43.52

-57.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 ₩13.4K

$8.14 ฿265

9.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₩1,827

$1.28 ฿41.53

-5.47%

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

$27.7K ₩41.8M

$21.8K ฿709.3K

26.85%

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

$24.7K ₩37.3M

$22.4K ฿728.0K

10.29%

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

$160 ₩242.3K

$70.5 ฿2,291

127.55%

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

$35.26 ₩53.3K

$14.05 ฿457

150.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.52 ₩34.0K

$17.65 ฿574

27.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.36 ₩73.1K

$41.29 ฿1,342

17.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

Cinema Ticket

$11.08 ₩16.7K

$5.96 ฿194

85.91%

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

$420 ₩634.6K

$303 ฿9,846

38.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ₩35.1M

$15.0K ฿486.2K

55.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 ₩87.8K

$54.7 ฿1,778

6.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.03 ₩72.6K

$26.29 ฿854

82.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 ₩118.6K

$85.8 ฿2,788

-8.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ₩175.7K

$69.7 ฿2,265

66.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₩698.2K

$428 ฿13.9K

7.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 ₩568.8K

$239 ฿7,769

57.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 ₩1.6M

$811 ฿26.4K

30.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$781 ₩1.2M

$510 ฿16.6K

53.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,553 ₩12.9M

$2,025 ฿65.8K

322.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,419 ₩8.2M

$1,502 ฿48.8K

260.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,012 ₩1.5M

$623 ฿20.2K

62.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

-17.20%

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

Last update for Seogwipo: June 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $462 in Seogwipo versus $428 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 62% higher in Seogwipo, 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 $37.00 in Seogwipo versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $427 vs $242 – 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

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

Seogwipo costs about 65% 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 $2,092 per month in Seogwipo and $1,272 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 $37.00 in Seogwipo 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 76% more in Seogwipo, 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 $848, than in Seogwipo at $1,395. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seogwipo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $848 versus $1,395 in Seogwipo. 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, Seogwipo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.