Here is the real cost of living in Chiang Mai, Thailand in 2023 and 2024. Are you planning to live in Chiang Mai? Are you wondering how to retire in Thailand? The cost to retire in Thailand? Here are the real figures about what it costs to live in Chiang Mai. If you are considering retiring in Thailand, you should consider Chiang Mai.
We don’t just talk about prices. We literally show you. We take you on tours of apartments in the low, medium and high price range. We visit restaurants and see actual meals and what they cost. We discuss motorcycle and transportation costs. Our goal is to not only provide you with helpful information, but make it entertaining as well.
Chiang Mai is much less expensive than Bangkok, Phuket, and the islands, but is a beautiful city, close to nature with plentiful hikes and waterfalls. And few cities are as famous as Chiang Mai for its multitude of great coffee shops and restaurants. It is a foodie paradise, but at a low cost.
Just FYI, one bad thing about Chiang Mai to be aware of is the “smokey season,” or some call it the burning season. This is when farmers burn their crops to regenerate the soil (or to promote mushroom growth) all around the north: Laos, Myanmar, northern Thailand. It turns beautiful Chiang Mai into an unpleasant place (not so bad some years but terrible in 2003), usually. February to April. So you need to factor in that you might want to use these months to travel, either around Thailand (cheap flights and cheap places to stay, but you are maybe paying rent in Chiang Mai while you are gone, so a double expense while away), or to be your annual trip out of Asia or to your home country. Every city seems to have a “bad” aspect – crime, unrest, smog, high costs, et cetera – so we just figure the smokey season is the one bad thing about Chiang Mai, and we work around it in our lives. BTW, 2023 was a bad smokey year, but the years prior were not as bad. We home one day the generational practice of burning crops will lessen.
Part 2 will review health insurance, visas, and give a wrap-up of budget issues.
π΄ SUBSCRIBE AND RING THE NOTIFICATION BELL π: https://www.youtube.com/@RetiredGlobalLife?sub_confirmation=1
β° TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Introduction
01:19 Housing costs
10:08 Food costs: restaurants
13:42 Food costs: grocery stores
15:26 Food costs: outdoor markets
15:47 Transportation
18:04 Closing comments
π¦ OUR OTHER VIDEOS YOU MIGHT LIKE π¦
π Start a New Life In Chiang Mai: 5 Keys to Happiness https://youtu.be/24e7zGQS58Q
β€οΈ Falling in Love in Chiang Mai https://youtu.be/fA2BR9-jchA
π¦ Never be bit by a mosquito again. Really! https://youtu.be/_utyv2gVQm0
π Chiang Mai Hidden Temple Hike https://youtu.be/pX6JjCrp2Gk
π Chiang Mai’s Hidden Treasures https://youtu.be/5pvm-d3KFcM
π΄ Joy has just started a YouTube channel: Thai with Joy. Learn to speak Thai with her! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NhP38txyTU&t=12s
π΄ I first came to Thailand 7 years ago when my daughter moved here. She is the director of HH Premium Visa in Chiang Mai. She is an authorized agent for elite visas through out Thailand, and also handles retirement visas (but only in the Chiang Mai area). HH Premium Visa Consulting http://hhpremium.com
π All the apartments we showed you were available for rental at the time of filming. Below is the contact information for each location. We have no affiliation, nor do we profit, from these locations:
β« Home Place Hotel: +66 53 206 917
β« Riverside Condominiums (they have many units at the Riverside Condo complex, but also have apartments elsewhere): Tanitta at [email protected]
β« The Astra: Wassana at [email protected]
π Retired Global Life merchandise: https://retired-global-life.launchcart.store/shop
π¦ To avoid being bit by mosquitos while in Thailand, order your Picaridin here (not sold in Thai stores): https://tinyurl.com/4xrn7muw
For travel insurance I use Squaremouth. https://www.squaremouth.com
π¦ MY EQUIPMENT π¦
π¬ Action camera: https://tinyurl.com/bdhnaz4p
π¬ Regular camera: https://tinyurl.com/suyunssc
π€ Directional mic: https://tinyurl.com/59jfspc2
π€ Wireless lav mics: https://tinyurl.com/59n3a795
π€ Wired lav mics: https://tinyurl.com/3ep4z87t
π¬ Softbox: https://tinyurl.com/mvje3rhz
TV interruption video courtesy of Vecteezy.com
π΅ I get my music from EpidemicSound: share.epidemicsound.com/fuc72d
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Is this Clint Eastwood's' double?
This video is brilliant. I live in Nanjing, China and I want to make a complete cost of living video and wasn't sure how to do it properly. I may have to copy your blueprint here. We are also hoping to move to Chiang Mai at some point, so this video was doubly useful!
Hello, I love your personality and videos. I am wondering which one is part 2 for this one? You said it would sum up the costs� I will watch many more anyway so maybe will come across it. Thanks again!
You have the best content about Thailand. You are actually doing foot work..im loving this!!
i'm definitely in the $500 per month group.
i love to cook, prefer the cheap meals when i go out, i search out inexpensive entertainment, and i'm happy staying away from big touristy areas.
but i would probably add on an extra couple hundred bucks on top for drinks, parties, and lots of traveling. plus being able to get a massage every once in a while to help with my messed up back is a must.
also, even though my goal is to move to The Philippines, you got me to subscribe because i love that you gave so many good real examples
A delightful informative video. What a happy couple you both are.
I appreciate the video quality. This is helpful for my research.
Thank you for the detailed video, and specifically the detailed notes, phone numbers, and links in the notes! Very helpful and thorough.
Thanks for the video, much better than so many others :
1. You show us clearly the items with prices and names.
2. You made a chart with mini, average and high prices.
3. Gave a recap
4. Gave definitions
Well structured !!! A pro
How do you stay there for a long time as a tourist?
did they ever make a part 2? I can't find it.
I have watched a couple of your videos and the Chiang Mai Chamber of Commerce needs you.
Lovely couple β€thanks for making this video. Contemplating retiring from australia by then time I turn 55 π
Well done! Informative from knowledgeable people.
PS, thank you so much for the information. You two are sweet together. π
Wow! I left Thailand in 1975, and the last time I visited Thailand was 2008. I can't believe how modern, yet affordable. I recently retired @ 58 and would love to start living! Is it hard to get an extended visa.
I think anywhere in thailand would be cost effective compared to CA. I live in Vacaville, CA. I was born in Nonthaburi Thailand and would love to live there 3-6 months out of a year. Would they do a short-term lease?
Thank you for All your helpful insights. My wife and I are planning on visiting Thailand in 2026 to see if we can realistically live in Chiang Mai. On a 1500 dollar per month budget.
We have talked before. You two are great and show so much. Iβm coming in Dec. for 3 months will rent a scooter and start my hunt for a great condo.. thank you
I was expecting a literal dirt floor shack for the first place, but it's pretty nice especially for the cost.
I can definitely see a single person living there at least for a month or two to get their bearings in the city.
Well I might not want to live there for the rest of my life, I would have zero problem living there for a month.
You are the sweetest! WIshing you a happy life. Much love and thanks for the great videos <3
I am traveling to Chiang Mai next week. Where do you recommend where I stay at?
dude, you living one step from living in a tent
The only issue I see with the first one. I dont see enough room to have a computer desk and chair. But wow to rent for $100 a month is great.
What bank do you recommend for expats?
Hi Randy & Joy, i really enjoyed yr very informative video. I have been considering Chang Mai for a few years. One inly main concern i have is that has always been an issue for me with Thailand That is the availability if good Vegan diet whole food. I don't eat anything cooked with sugars such as rice – noodles or processed oil's. I avoid deep fried.or oil fried food. π€·ββοΈ
Great video
Good information, well done video
Those are all close in so they are running a bit expensive. Capitalization is a critical factor in moving to LOS. You need to maintain the deposits for your visa, then you need cash for your wheels. Chiang Mai is pretty easy to get around but you would need a car to get out to where the cheaper housing is. A used bike would be about 40k baht and a used car maybe 350k. Double it for new.
Bahtsold has loads of listings for apartments and houses. For 15000 a month you should be able to get a house a little farther out. In close to the old city is a great spot though. Chiang Rai has a really active expat community.
Food is really variable. A plate of pad kapao can run 40 baht up to the 180 you paid in a nice place to 320 at the airport. We eat from the night markets a lot. Really cheap, fun outings and really easy. We eat almost nothing foreign.
Never give your passport to anyone, ever. If you are moving, get a motorcycle license at home. You will learn more than you think and you will not need to take the Thai test.
Tuk Tuks may be OK in Chiang Mai but not Bangkok or Phuket.
retired living in the south has much better air quality: phuket, samui β¦but phuket living cost reportedly much higher than bangkok, many russians, chinese live there. Reportedly condos in phuket has much higher demand than in bangkok. anyway use google search to verify and certainly very useful if you'd give some comments
Hello and thanks for this video!! I spent a few years in Japan, one year in London and multiple trips to Indonesia. I am going to Chiang Mai next year to explore retirement there…already connected with a reputable realtor and looking at buildings. It's just me so I don't need a huge place, but its a forever move so I'm thinking at least 800 sq ft and big balcony because I love plants. Aside from the burning season are there any major downsides to Chiang Mai??? My plan is to be in Europe during burning season or visit family stateside.
Very nice video
i has live last 14 year now in Thailand and my normal live cost 1000$/month sometime go little more 1500$ and can live totally comfortable good life, lot better life guality than home country can same money. north europe.
Information was great, nice format and editing.
Thank you for the video. I have been visiting Chiang Mai for 10 years and I still found some useful information. Hope you have lovely time in that amazing city.
The food portions are so much smaller than america. I feel like i would need to order 3 meals everywhere and im pretty skinny
It says rent is a little more if monthly.. how much is a little bit? Like $50?
Oi Joy, Randyβs got millions ππ΅π΅π΅π΅π΅π΅π΅π΅π΅π€π»
Under his hat π©π
Just kidding guys β¦β¦
Your videos are so informative and get straight to the point !
Youβre a superbly calm and special couple! Thanks π Again ππ