Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Uijeongbu and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $1,365 in Uijeongbu, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

66

Cost of Living Index in Uijeongbu
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Uijeongbu Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index

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Uijeongbu

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,365

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,365 per month in Uijeongbu vs $935 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Uijeongbu $1,365
Chiang Mai $935

A couple spends around $2,203 per month in Uijeongbu vs $1,467 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Uijeongbu $2,203
Chiang Mai $1,467

A family of three spends $3,042 per month in Uijeongbu vs $1,999 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Uijeongbu $3,042
Chiang Mai $1,999

Uijeongbu costs about 46% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.55 ₩8,776

$2.13 ฿71.7

207.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.28 ₩46.0K

$18.62 ฿625

84.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.87 ₩9,209

$5.60 ฿188

22.68%

Cappuccino

$3.58 ₩4,796

$1.66 ฿55.9

115.66%

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

$1.57 ₩2,107

$0.65 ฿21.73

141.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 ₩981

$0.30 ฿10.24

143.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 ₩4,771

$2.32 ฿78.0

53.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 ₩5,867

$3.67 ฿123

19.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ₩2,675

$2.02 ฿67.7

-0.99%

White Bread (500g)

$3.16 ₩4,231

$1.41 ฿47.29

124.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 ₩3,438

$1.39 ฿46.75

84.17%

Eggs

$3.36 ₩4,501

$2.37 ฿79.5

41.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.38 ₩20.6K

$16.52 ฿555

-6.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.34 ₩13.9K

$2.67 ฿89.7

287.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.93 ₩14.7K

$9.02 ฿303

21.18%

Apples (1kg)

$6.77 ₩9,070

$2.40 ฿80.6

182.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 ₩3,350

$1.04 ฿34.98

140.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 ₩5,809

$1.66 ฿55.7

160.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.13 ₩8,222

$1.56 ฿52.4

292.95%

Potato (1kg)

$3.31 ₩4,434

$1.24 ฿41.57

166.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 ₩3,431

$1.09 ฿36.50

134.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 ₩2,801

$0.76 ฿25.59

175.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 ₩1,481

$0.51 ฿17.27

115.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.42 ₩4,588

$4.12 ฿138

-16.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.72 ₩18.4K

$17.93 ฿602

-23.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 ₩3,127

$1.62 ฿54.5

43.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 ₩4,401

$2.82 ฿94.8

16.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,524

$0.93 ฿31.39

22.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,777

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 ₩4,705

$1.18 ฿39.52

197.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩769

$0.17 ฿5.76

235.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.11 ₩12.2K

$1.81 ฿60.9

403.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ₩1,791

$1.47 ฿49.47

-8.84%

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

$29.6K ₩39.6M

$21.0K ฿705.8K

40.74%

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

$28.3K ₩37.9M

$26.5K ฿890.7K

6.70%

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

$210 ₩281.0K

$62.6 ฿2,101

235.10%

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

$34.30 ₩46.0K

$11.60 ฿390

195.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.38 ₩27.3K

$20.30 ฿682

0.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.5 ₩67.7K

$37.88 ฿1,272

33.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.68 ₩18.3K

$3.70 ฿124

269.73%

Cinema Ticket

$11.30 ₩15.2K

$6.51 ฿219

73.58%

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

$439 ₩588.7K

$727 ฿24.4K

-39.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ₩23.7M

$16.6K ฿556.7K

6.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.1 ₩83.2K

$53.5 ฿1,798

15.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.73 ₩45.2K

$24.80 ฿833

36.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 ₩92.2K

$90.4 ฿3,036

-23.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.5 ₩108.0K

$72.0 ฿2,418

11.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$492 ₩659.6K

$481 ฿16.2K

2.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 ₩495.0K

$310 ฿10.4K

19.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,273 ₩1.7M

$1,058 ฿35.5K

20.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$955 ₩1.3M

$659 ฿22.1K

44.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,028 ₩9.4M

$2,418 ฿81.2K

190.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,549 ₩7.4M

$1,609 ฿54.0K

244.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

5.57

-26.75%

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

Last update for Uijeongbu: October 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Uijeongbu

$385 28.2%

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3% 38.5% $148

Accommodation & Living

Uijeongbu

$369 27.1%

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1% 16.1% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Uijeongbu

$264 19.4%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1% 64.3% $170

Eating Out

Uijeongbu

$152 11.1%

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2% 49.5% $75

Clothing & Footwear

Uijeongbu

$110 8.1%

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6% 1.8% $2

Sport & Entertainment

Uijeongbu

$73 5.4%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4% 30.4% $22

Getting Around

Uijeongbu

$11 * 0.8%

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3% 437% $48

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $492 in Uijeongbu versus $481 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34 in Uijeongbu versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $237 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Uijeongbu

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

14:19 2:19 PM

12:19 12:19 PM

2 h behind Uijeongbu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

463,077

127,240

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.63 EUR

100 THB = 2.98 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 1,341 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 1,509 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.63 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Uijeongbu Chiang Mai 3,440 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Uijeongbu
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

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

Uijeongbu costs about 46% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $2,047 per month in Uijeongbu and $1,403 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $492 in Uijeongbu and $481 in Chiang Mai. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34 in Uijeongbu and $19 in Chiang Mai. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 63% more in Uijeongbu, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,365 in Uijeongbu and $935 in Chiang Mai. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $935 in Chiang Mai to $1,365 in Uijeongbu. 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.