Chiang Mai vs Seoul Cost of Living
Chiang Mai (Thailand) · Overall index 26.0 — Seoul (South Korea) · Overall index 53.3
Summary
- Overall, Seoul is 105% more expensive than Chiang Mai.
- Rent in Seoul is 182% more expensive than in Chiang Mai.
- Transport in Seoul is 117% more expensive than in Chiang Mai.
| Item | Chiang Mai | Seoul | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +182% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $477 | $1,128 | +136% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $325 | $885 | +172% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $805 | $2,631 | +227% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $542 | $1,576 | +191% |
| Groceries | +93% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.53 | $0.97 | +83% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.44 | $3.03 | +110% |
| Rice (1kg) | $1.68 | $3.33 | +98% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.78 | $3.32 | +87% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $4.79 | $9.47 | +98% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $4.84 | $8.39 | +73% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $6.72 | $14.8 | +120% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.14 | $4.15 | +94% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.79 | $1.53 | +94% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.82 | $3.36 | +85% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.21 | $3.73 | +69% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.07 | $2.22 | +107% |
| Onions (1kg) | $0.94 | $1.86 | +98% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $0.93 | $1.71 | +84% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.87 | $1.67 | +92% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $5.67 | $11.7 | +106% |
| Transport | +117% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.71 | $1.68 | +137% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $38.2 | $68.9 | +80% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.11 | $2.76 | +149% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.56 | $1.34 | +139% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.29 | $0.53 | +83% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $8,510 | $18,844 | +121% |
| Dining out | +106% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $6.98 | $14.8 | +112% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $40 | $84.8 | +112% |
| Fast food combo meal | $3.87 | $7.96 | +106% |
| Cappuccino | $1.62 | $3.11 | +92% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.9 | $1.89 | +110% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.41 | $4.53 | +88% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.63 | $5.53 | +110% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.64 | $1.43 | +123% |
| Telecom | +73% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $24.9 | $45.1 | +81% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $26.6 | $47.3 | +78% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.15 | $0.22 | +47% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $6.1 | $11.3 | +85% |
| Utilities & household | +87% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $67.6 | $130 | +92% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.08 | $0.16 | +100% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.58 | $3.13 | +98% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.56 | $1.03 | +84% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $8.03 | $15.9 | +98% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $32.5 | $60.9 | +87% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $6.4 | $9.46 | +48% |
| Men's haircut | $10.6 | $22.9 | +116% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $9.66 | $16.6 | +72% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $810 | $1,561 | +93% |
3,233 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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