Expat Guide: Living In Chiang Mai

Thinking of moving to Thailand? Most nomads choose Chiang Mai since it’s a budget-friendly destination.

It’s a great option if you’re looking into productivity while enjoying the mountains and the Thai lifestyle.

In this post, I’ll be giving you details on what it’s like to be living in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

I decided to move to Chiang Mai for a few months to try it out since everyone suggested me to try it.

Note that there are many expats in Thailand – including digital nomads and teachers. In fact, Chiang Mai is one of the best cities to live in Asia.

This post should help you understand how to move to Chiang Mai and more importantly, how to get settled in after your arrival.

Arriving In Thailand

Usually, most travelers and nomads will first arrive at Bangkok Airport, depending on where you’re flying from. From there, you can either take a flight, a bus or a train to reach Chiang Mai.

Chiang Mai is a city is located in the northern part of the country. It’s close to the mountains, and it’s a popular destination for digital nomads as well as backpackers.

From Chiang Mai Airport, you can reach your hotel quickly. I’d suggest you order a Grab to reach your accommodation.

Visa Thailand

There are several options when it comes to Thailand visas. It’s pretty common to see people on student visas or tourist visas short-term or long-term.

If you do not apply for a visa prior to your arrival, you are usually limited to 45 days, but it depends on your nationality. You can consult iVisa to see if you need a visa.

If you’re planning on staying longer, you can request a two-month visa or a six-month visa.

When you’re in Thailand, you can usually request a one-time extension for an extra 30 days. Read our guide to learn how to extend a visa in Chiang Mai.

Getting a SIM card in Chiang Mai

Like in any other country, it is not recommended to get a SIM card at the airport since it’s going to be more expensive. You can find a Thailand SIM card easily. 

I found my own SIM card when going to a mall – as I was staying close to the Maya Mall, there were a couple of SIM card shops there.

I compared options and data plans and I signed up with AIS which is a reliable data plan in Thailand.

To give you an idea, I got a data plan of 20 GB for TBH 250 for 30 days.

Renting A Scooter In Chiang Mai

It’s easy to rent a scooter in Thailand. You might want to look around for a few places so you can settle for the best offer.

After a quick research, I opted for Mango Bike Rents. The monthly rental is at TBH 2,600 for a new bike. 

Usually, the shop will make a copy of your passport and request a deposit. At Mango Bike Rent, the deposit requested is TBH 1000.

It’s pretty common to see police officers around Chiang Mai. You will quickly realize where they usually park to do their checks.

To avoid getting a fine of TBH 500, you should have your International Driving License with you at all times. If you do not have one, you will have to pay the fine. It’s suggested to give the fine with you as you will be exempted from fines for three days.

Now it’s important to note that during the pandemic, many scooter rental shops have sold half of their scooters.

This means, many shops have fewer scooters to rent and as a result, it’s a lot harder to find a scooter in Chiang Mai.

We managed to get one in November 2022 by showing up when Mango opens (9h00). There were two scooters available, and the second one was rented two minutes after we arrived.

Getting An Apartment In Chiang Mai

Usually, people find their apartments quickly in Chiang Mai. It took me two days to find one as my partner and I were looking for something a bit more spacious.

We first used an agency, but as we were still unsure about the listings visited, we decided to go around and find a flat ourselves. Read our guide to learn how to find monthly Chiang Mai rentals.

It’s quite simple though – once you find a place, you can often move in the same day. You will have to sign a contract and give a deposit.

The deposit requested is usually for one or two months, depending on the place. Although, you should know that many people do not get their deposit back in Chiang Mai. (I guess we’ll find out in a couple of months.)

Some flats include the wifi and a washing machine. Some others don’t. If that’s the case, you will have to ask the building what Internet provider they use, and you will have to go to the mall to get your internet situation sorted.

In November 2022, most condominium buildings were fully booked. Many places only offer accommodation for a minimum of three months.

That said, if you arrive in Chiang Mai during the fall, you might want to look on Booking.com or Airbnb if you stay for one month.

Best Area To Stay In Chiang Mai

When I asked my friends, they told me most digital nomads are living in the Nimman area. This is also where I decided to go.

Although, after spending more time here, I realized many people live in cheaper neighborhoods such as the North of the Old City.

The Nimman area made sense for me since I found a coworking space as well as a gym very close to the flat. It’s quite easy to find good restaurants around and Maya Mall is closeby.

Coworking in Chiang Mai

Coworking is one of the main reasons why digital nomads move to Chiang Mai, Thailand.

The digital nomad community is quite big here. Although, it’s not that cheap to go to a coworking space here. Some prefer to work form Cafés too.

Coworking Spaces in Chiang Mai

I personally opted for PunSpace since the membership gives you access to their three coworking spaces.

They organize activities as well as weekly lunch for the members only.

There are several other places to pick from such as Hub 53, the Brick, etc. 

Laundry in Chiang Mai

If your flat doesn’t include a washing machine, you can either go to a laundromat or find a local laundry shop. Having a washing machine was one of my criteria for the flat since it’s easier to do my own laundry.

Health & Food in Chiang Mai

Generally speaking, the food is amazing in Chiang Mai. You will find healthy options pretty much everywhere, including vegetarian and vegan options.

If I compare Chiang Mai to Bali, I feel like my body handles the food here pretty well. There’s no major case of Bali Belly style here.

Leasure & Fitness in Chiang Mai

You will find several gyms, yoga classes, CrossFit, Muay Thai and sports options in Chiang Mai.

If you join the Chiang Mai Events Facebook Group, you will find things to do pretty much every day.

You can go to language meet-up, improv nights, open-mike nights, etc.

Is Chiang Mai Expensive? | Cost of Living in Chiang Mai

Overall, life in Chiang Mai is quite cheap. We are spending about USD 550 per month with regular expenses.

This doesn’t include fuel, food, and caffeine. Keep reading to learn more about our regular costs.

Real-Life Examples – What it’s like to live in Chiang Mai budget-wise

Here’s an overview of our monthly expenses in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Flat: TBH 22,000 per month

Note: This apartment is quite “expensive” for Chiang Mai standards and average price.

We are a couple, and we like our apartment to be more spacious, which is why we opted for this option. Usually, you should be able to find something cheaper.

Data plan: 20 GB for TBH 250 per month with AIS at the Maya Shopping Mall.

Note: As our Wifi is included in the flat and I signed up for a coworking space, I could have taken a cheaper package.

Scooter rental: We rented our scooter for TBH 2,600 per month at Mango Bike Rents.

Note: We have one scooter for two people, so we are sharing the cost.

Gym plan: I got a gym plan at Gold Hillside Gym for three months for a total of TBH 2,700 which is basically TBH 900 per month.

Note: There’s a small fitness centre in our flat building, we could have avoided the gym plan, but we prefer to go to a bigger gym.

Coworking membership: I got a three months membership at Punspace for TBH 9,999 which is basically TBH 3333 per month.

Let’s sum it up – the total in USD is $548.

Chiang Mai on a Budget

If you’re starting as a digital nomad and if you’re on a budget, here are some alternatives to consider.

• Work from home – working from home or from cafés is a great way to save money on coworking. Although, it might be harder to make friends.
• Walk – instead of renting a motorbike, you could walk everywhere and use a grab when required.
• Find a cheap flat – As I mentioned above, you can find cheaper flats easily. You can find smaller places for USD 300. You could also consider staying in a hostel if you’re on a tight budget.
• Work out at home – If your building provides a pool or a fitness centre, you could work out there without having to pay any membership fees.

Is Chiang Mai Safe?

Yes – Overall, Thailand is a safe destination. That said, Chiang Mai is also safe. I never had to worry about my safety in Thailand.

Since I moved to Chiang Mai, the only time I felt the danger was while driving around – the traffic can get quite insane in the area.

When You Should Visit Chiang Mai, Rainy & Burning Seasons

The best time to visit Chiang Mai is between October and January.

When is the rainy season?

From May to October, it’s the rainy season. It doesn’t mean it will rain every day, but when it does… it rains a lot.

When is the burning season?

From January to March, it’s the smoking/burning season – which means the air is quite polluted, and it can be hard to breathe. It is not recommended to go to Chiang Mai during that time.

It’s the time of the year when the fields are burned, which creates a lot of smoke. It’s one of the main cons of living in Chiang Mai.