Chiang Mai vs Seoul - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated: March 02, 2025

	Chiang Mai	Seoul
🚶 Cost of living one person	$691	$1334
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family	$1891	$3862
🏠 One person rent	$291	$608
🏘️ Family rent	$597	$1634
🍽️ Food expenses	$237	$488
🚐 Transport expenses	$89	$144
💳 Monthly salary after tax	$680	$2911
😷 Air quality	Moderate	Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity	3 km	18 km
🎓 Higher education	56	100
😀 Quality of life	64	95
🏙️ Population	1.2M	9.67M

The cost of living in Chiang Mai is 48% less expensive than in Seoul. Cities ranked 6939th and 4104th ($691 vs $1334) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 19th and 3rd in Thailand and South Korea, respectively. Check Thailand vs South Korea comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 1 months in Chiang Mai compared to 2.2 months in Seoul. Chiang Mai ranked 3rd best city to live in Thailand vs Seoul ranked 1st in South Korea, while ranked 4535th and 30th among best cities to live in the world.

Salary adjustment calculator
the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in Chiang Mai vs Seoul infographic

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<img src="https://livingcost.org/assets/photo/cost/chiang-mai/seoul.jpg" alt="Cost of living in Chiang Mai vs Seoul infographic" style="max-width: 100%; height: auto;"><p>Source: <a href="https://livingcost.org/cost/chiang-mai/seoul" target="_blank">Chiang Mai vs Seoul - Cost of Living Comparison</a></p>

Prices in Chiang Mai vs Seoul

Prices for goods and services in Chiang Mai and Seoul are partly crowdsourced by our visitors, just like yourself. Please consider telling us about your city.

	Chiang Mai	Seoul
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu	$1.78	$7.53
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2	$17.7	$40.1
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's	$7.11	$5.87
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz	$2.15	$3.5
☕ Cappuccino	$1.84	$3.57
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz	$0.7	$1.58
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2	$362	$754
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2	$203	$422
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2	$759	$2293
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2	$461	$1250
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.	$38.2	$99.6
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.	$59	$155
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited	$17.3	$20.3
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years	4.98%	4.85%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2	$2045	$19682
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2	$1110	$11168
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket	$0.88	$1.05
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport	$23.5	$44.5
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi	$12.1	$8.29
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal	$1.2	$1.17
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt	$1.61	$2.06
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb	$1.52	$3.08
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb	$1.21	$3.06
🥚 Eggs, x12	$2.02	$3.38
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb	$16.5	$12.7
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb	$2.98	$8.56
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb	$10.1	$32
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb	$2.73	$7.25
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb	$1.19	$3.37
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb	$1.31	$5.31
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb	$1.41	$5.9
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb	$1.38	$3.54
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb	$1.2	$2.82
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt	$0.32	$0.81
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz	$1.37	$2.18
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle	$17.7	$20.3
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz	$1.82	$2.46
🚬 Cigarette pack	$4.46	$3.17
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week	$1.21	$4.67
🧴 Hair Shampoo	$3.36	$5.75
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls	$1.25	$2.16
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube	$1.46	$2.86
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month	$37.8	$48.3
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person	$5.63	$10.5
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit	$19	$22.9
💇 Haircut, simple	$4.48	$9.53
👖 Brand Jeans	$56.4	$58.3
👟 Brand Sneakers	$83.2	$82.4
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month	$294	$420
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year	$14196	$20197

Cost of living in other countries

Cost of living

Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Chiang Mai

Distance	City	Cost of living
86 km or 53 mi	Pai	$633
153 km or 95 mi	Chiang Rai	$584
255 km or 158 mi	Hpa-an	$610
258 km or 160 mi	Phitsanulok	$537
294 km or 183 mi	Mawlamyine	$569
306 km or 190 mi	Taunggyi	$660
308 km or 191 mi	Bago	$650
317 km or 197 mi	Naypyidaw	$701
353 km or 219 mi	Luang Prabang	$1253
363 km or 226 mi	Nakhon Sawan	$654
365 km or 227 mi	Vang Vieng	$1183
373 km or 232 mi	Yangon	$705
392 km or 244 mi	Vientiane	$1163
404 km or 251 mi	Jinghong	$604
426 km or 265 mi	Udon Thani	$543
466 km or 289 mi	Mandalay	$710
485 km or 301 mi	Khon Kaen	$568
489 km or 304 mi	Pu'er	$625
503 km or 313 mi	Pathein	$778
537 km or 334 mi	Nakhon Ratchasima	$588
545 km or 339 mi	Monywa	$661
551 km or 342 mi	Tha Khlong	$641
561 km or 349 mi	Rangsit	$595
564 km or 351 mi	Nakhon Pathom	$548
566 km or 352 mi	Pak Kret	$715
571 km or 355 mi	Nonthaburi	$717
578 km or 359 mi	Lincang	$628
584 km or 363 mi	Bangkok	$941
597 km or 371 mi	Pu Chao Saming Phrai	$748
597 km or 371 mi	Lat Luang	$753
634 km or 394 mi	Thakhek	$1161
641 km or 398 mi	Sa Pa	$553
656 km or 407 mi	Sittwe	$678
666 km or 414 mi	Chaophraya Surasak	$739
667 km or 415 mi	Laem Chabang	$743
681 km or 423 mi	Pattaya	$781
685 km or 426 mi	Nong Prue	$752
699 km or 435 mi	Hua Hin	$656
704 km or 438 mi	Baoshan	$632
707 km or 439 mi	Vinh	$579

Cities near Seoul

Distance	City	Cost of living
13 km or 7.9 mi	Guri	$1122
17 km or 10 mi	Goyang	$1171
17 km or 10 mi	Gwangmyeong	$1089
17 km or 11 mi	Gwacheon	$1070
19 km or 12 mi	Uijeongbu	$955
20 km or 12 mi	Hanam	$1161
20 km or 12 mi	Namyangju	$1129
20 km or 13 mi	Seongnam	$1400
21 km or 13 mi	Siheung	$1283
21 km or 13 mi	Bucheon	$1163
22 km or 14 mi	Anyang	$1022
23 km or 14 mi	Yangju	$974
24 km or 15 mi	Gunpo	$1098
26 km or 16 mi	Gimpo	$1099
27 km or 17 mi	Uiwang	$1063
30 km or 19 mi	Gwangju	$1165
32 km or 20 mi	Paju	$1075
33 km or 20 mi	Ansan	$1070
33 km or 21 mi	Suwon	$1022
34 km or 21 mi	Incheon	$1092
37 km or 23 mi	Dongducheon	$1055
39 km or 24 mi	Pocheon	$1040
42 km or 26 mi	Yongin	$1127
47 km or 29 mi	Hwaseong	$1089
49 km or 31 mi	Osan	$1042
52 km or 32 mi	Icheon	$1020
58 km or 36 mi	Kaesong	$1565
65 km or 40 mi	Yeoju	$1026
66 km or 41 mi	Pyeongtaek	$984
69 km or 43 mi	Anseong	$1026
72 km or 45 mi	Chuncheon	$865
83 km or 52 mi	Dangjin	$1033
86 km or 53 mi	Wonju	$1074
87 km or 54 mi	Cheonan	$1151
101 km or 63 mi	Seosan	$1036
107 km or 66 mi	Chungju	$900
114 km or 71 mi	Cheongju	$936
118 km or 73 mi	Jecheon	$1016
123 km or 77 mi	Haeju	$1550
124 km or 77 mi	Sejong	$1019