CITY / CITYVerified city comparison
BangkokvsChiang Mai.
Bangkok is stronger on 1 of 8 headline facts; Chiang Mai on 0. Cost of living (single, excl. rent): Bangkok $560/mo, Chiang Mai $560/mo. Freelancer tax burden: Bangkok 3.7%, Chiang Mai 3.7%. Climate comfort: Bangkok 0/12 mo, Chiang Mai 0/12 mo.
VerifiedUpdated
14 compared criteria · 19 sources · country-level facts are clearly inherited
th / th · SettleMetric
01
The key differences
The key numbers head-to-head — the stronger side is marked. The overall score stays decoration; what matters is which facts fit you.
Headline result
Bangkok leads on 1 of 8
Bangkok
1
Chiang Mai
0
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Mar 31, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- NSO average monthly household expenditure ≈ 21,027 THB (March 2025). Removing about half of the 24.65% housing-&-utilities line as rent/imputed rent gives a household non-rent basket of ≈ 18,435 THB ≈ $553 at 33.32 THB/USD (37.976 THB/EUR ÷ 1.1399 USD/EUR, ECB 2026-07-02); used as a proxy for a single-person non-rent basket (a solo resident's non-rent spend roughly matches a small household's). Rounded to $560.
- Notes
- Whole-kingdom national average — Bangkok and expat-style living run higher (commonly ~$650–750/month excluding rent in market estimates). Non-rent basket: food, utilities, transport & communications, health, recreation, clothing (see cost-breakdown).
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Mar 31, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- NSO average monthly household expenditure ≈ 21,027 THB (March 2025). Removing about half of the 24.65% housing-&-utilities line as rent/imputed rent gives a household non-rent basket of ≈ 18,435 THB ≈ $553 at 33.32 THB/USD (37.976 THB/EUR ÷ 1.1399 USD/EUR, ECB 2026-07-02); used as a proxy for a single-person non-rent basket (a solo resident's non-rent spend roughly matches a small household's). Rounded to $560.
- Notes
- Whole-kingdom national average — Bangkok and expat-style living run higher (commonly ~$650–750/month excluding rent in market estimates). Non-rent basket: food, utilities, transport & communications, health, recreation, clothing (see cost-breakdown).
SettleMetric tax engine over official Thai Revenue Department rules (rd.go.th)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Best eligible scheme th-pit-40-8-business at €60,000 = 2,278,560 THB (ECB 37.976 THB/EUR): 60% Section 40(8) standard deduction → PIT base 911,424; less 60,000 personal allowance → taxable 851,424; progressive PIT (5% to 20% bands) = 85,284.80 THB → 3.74%. Social security is voluntary for the self-employed and excluded. Assumes the income is assessable in Thailand (remitted in-year); a non-remitting resident can owe 0% under the remittance rule.
SettleMetric tax engine over official Thai Revenue Department rules (rd.go.th)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Best eligible scheme th-pit-40-8-business at €60,000 = 2,278,560 THB (ECB 37.976 THB/EUR): 60% Section 40(8) standard deduction → PIT base 911,424; less 60,000 personal allowance → taxable 851,424; progressive PIT (5% to 20% bands) = 85,284.80 THB → 3.74%. Social security is voluntary for the self-employed and excluded. Assumes the income is assessable in Thailand (remitted in-year); a non-remitting resident can owe 0% under the remittance rule.
UNODC via World Bank (Intentional homicides, VC.IHR.PSRC.P5) — republished by Our World in Data
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2021
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- 1.84 per 100,000 is the last firm UNODC data point (2021). UNODC/World Bank have not published a Thailand value for 2022–2024 (Thailand reports offences, not victims, and recent national figures were not submitted to the official series). Third-party aggregators quote rising unofficial figures (~1.9 in 2022, ~2.2 in 2023, ~2.6 in 2024) but these are not in the UNODC/World Bank published series and are not recorded here. To be re-verified when UNODC releases a newer Thailand figure.
UNODC via World Bank (Intentional homicides, VC.IHR.PSRC.P5) — republished by Our World in Data
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2021
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- 1.84 per 100,000 is the last firm UNODC data point (2021). UNODC/World Bank have not published a Thailand value for 2022–2024 (Thailand reports offences, not victims, and recent national figures were not submitted to the official series). Third-party aggregators quote rising unofficial figures (~1.9 in 2022, ~2.2 in 2023, ~2.6 in 2024) but these are not in the UNODC/World Bank published series and are not recorded here. To be re-verified when UNODC releases a newer Thailand figure.
SettleMetric computation over climate-normals
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2020
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Criterion rule: months whose 1991–2020 normal has mean daily maximum between 15°C and 28°C AND precipitation < 150mm. Bangkok's coolest month (December) still has a mean daily max of 32.3°C, so NO month falls in the 15–28°C band → 0 pleasant months. The metric is calibrated for temperate climates; a tropical city reads 0 not because it is unpleasant to everyone but because it is consistently hot (32–36°C highs year-round). Users should read the raw normals for their own taste.
SettleMetric computation over climate-normals
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2020
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Criterion rule: count months with mean daily maximum 15–28°C and precipitation < 150 mm. Chiang Mai's mean daily maximum exceeds 28°C in every month (coolest is December at 28.3°C, January 29.4°C), so zero months satisfy the upper-temperature bound → 0.
- Notes
- 0 reflects the metric's temperate-comfort band, which penalises year-round tropical heat; it does not mean Chiang Mai is unpleasant to residents. By local standards the agreeable window is the cool-dry season (Nov–Feb): warm days ~29–30°C, cool nights 14–17°C, low rain. That season overlaps the burning-season air-pollution spike (see air-quality-pm25). Raw normals are stored alongside so users can judge by their own taste.
M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Thailand (2024)
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures (Ookla's Speedtest Index put Thailand fixed-broadband median ≈ 237 Mbps in 2025) — the two are not comparable and must not be mixed within this criterion. Thailand's real-world fixed broadband (fibre) is among the fastest/cheapest in the region; the low M-Lab number reflects test methodology, not typical line speed. Value is the median of 2024 daily country medians from M-Lab's public stats API.
M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Thailand (2024)
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures (Ookla's Speedtest Index put Thailand fixed-broadband median ≈ 237 Mbps in 2025) — the two are not comparable and must not be mixed within this criterion. Thailand's real-world fixed broadband (fibre) is among the fastest/cheapest in the region; the low M-Lab number reflects test methodology, not typical line speed. Value is the median of 2024 daily country medians from M-Lab's public stats API.
EF EPI 2025 — Thailand (rank 116/123, score 402, 'Very Low' band)
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First / Signum International AG). EF places Thailand nationally in the 'Very Low' band (score 402, rank 116/123), but English is markedly more workable for a resident in Bangkok (EF city score 467), tourist/expat hubs (Pattaya 474, Phuket 431, Chiang Mai 453) and the hospitality/service sector than the national score implies — hence 'low' rather than 'very-low' for day-to-day usability. Government offices and rural areas remain Thai-only in practice.
EF EPI 2025 — Thailand (rank 116/123, score 402, 'Very Low' band)
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First / Signum International AG). EF places Thailand nationally in the 'Very Low' band (score 402, rank 116/123), but English is markedly more workable for a resident in Bangkok (EF city score 467), tourist/expat hubs (Pattaya 474, Phuket 431, Chiang Mai 453) and the hospitality/service sector than the national score implies — hence 'low' rather than 'very-low' for day-to-day usability. Government offices and rural areas remain Thai-only in practice.
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Comprehensive (inpatient + outpatient) private medical insurance for a healthy 35-year-old resident foreigner: international/expat plans with solid inpatient cover run ≈ 25,000–65,000 THB/year; a healthy-35 midpoint ≈ 40,000–45,000 THB ≈ $1,200–1,350 at 33.32 THB/USD. Recorded midpoint ≈ $1,300. Local Thai policies are cheaper (12,000–35,000 THB) but carry more exclusions/territorial limits. Premiums are quoted on request, so this is a curated market midpoint, not a single public engine quote.
- Notes
- Thailand has no universal coverage for foreigners; residents typically buy private cover or pay out of pocket at Thailand's (relatively low-cost, high-quality) private hospitals. Long-stay visas (e.g. some retirement/LTR conditions) require minimum inpatient/outpatient coverage. Medical inflation ~5–8%/yr. Range ≈ $750–1,950.
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Comprehensive (inpatient + outpatient) private medical insurance for a healthy 35-year-old resident foreigner: international/expat plans with solid inpatient cover run ≈ 25,000–65,000 THB/year; a healthy-35 midpoint ≈ 40,000–45,000 THB ≈ $1,200–1,350 at 33.32 THB/USD. Recorded midpoint ≈ $1,300. Local Thai policies are cheaper (12,000–35,000 THB) but carry more exclusions/territorial limits. Premiums are quoted on request, so this is a curated market midpoint, not a single public engine quote.
- Notes
- Thailand has no universal coverage for foreigners; residents typically buy private cover or pay out of pocket at Thailand's (relatively low-cost, high-quality) private hospitals. Long-stay visas (e.g. some retirement/LTR conditions) require minimum inpatient/outpatient coverage. Medical inflation ~5–8%/yr. Range ≈ $750–1,950.
Official source
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2022
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- 22.7 µg/m³ is the last firm PCD Bangkok annual-mean figure (2022), the tail of a declining trend (27 in 2018, 26 in 2019, 23 in 2020, 23 in 2021, 22.7 in 2022). Independent 2024 city estimates run higher (IQAir 2024 World Air Quality Report ≈ 27 µg/m³); the World Bank satellite-derived Thailand national mean was 23.5 µg/m³ for 2023. All bases put Bangkok well above the WHO 2021 guideline (5 µg/m³) and around the Thai annual standard (15 µg/m³, tightened June 2023). Pollution is strongly seasonal — the Nov–Mar cool/dry season (agricultural burning + inversions) drives monthly means above 50 µg/m³, while the May–Aug monsoon washes them down to 10–20 µg/m³. To be re-verified against a newer official PCD single-year Bangkok annual mean.
IQAir World Air Quality Report — Chiang Mai city annual mean (compiled from ground monitoring)
Research
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2019
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Latest cleanly-attributed city annual mean available: 32.3 µg/m³ for 2019 (IQAir compilation of ground-station data). Corroborated by peer-reviewed monitoring: 2013–2022 mean 27.5 µg/m³ (24-hour basis) and 22.7 µg/m³ annual in 2017 (Decadal Trends study, PMC11125922). Recorded as 'research' rather than a public-domain open-data register because Thailand's national monitoring authority (PCD/Air4Thai) does not publish a redistributable city annual-mean series in an accessible form.
- Notes
- Chiang Mai's annual mean masks an extreme seasonal pattern: PM2.5 is very low most of the year (~5–6 µg/m³ in the wet season) but spikes to hazardous levels during the agricultural/forest burning season (roughly Feb–Apr), when city outdoor means around 100+ µg/m³ have been recorded and Chiang Mai regularly tops global live-AQI rankings. The ~32 µg/m³ annual figure is above the WHO 2021 guideline (5 µg/m³) and the EU limit territory; the lived experience is far worse for 2–3 months and near-pristine the rest of the year. To be refined if the Pollution Control Department (Air4Thai) publishes a redistributable recent annual-mean series.
02
Which city fits your plan?
Each lens weighs only the facts that matter to that plan, and names the side it favours.
Remote IT / freelancer
Contract or freelance in tech, billing clients abroad.
A close call for this plan
SettleMetric tax engine over official Thai Revenue Department rules (rd.go.th)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Best eligible scheme th-pit-40-8-business at €60,000 = 2,278,560 THB (ECB 37.976 THB/EUR): 60% Section 40(8) standard deduction → PIT base 911,424; less 60,000 personal allowance → taxable 851,424; progressive PIT (5% to 20% bands) = 85,284.80 THB → 3.74%. Social security is voluntary for the self-employed and excluded. Assumes the income is assessable in Thailand (remitted in-year); a non-remitting resident can owe 0% under the remittance rule.
SettleMetric tax engine over official Thai Revenue Department rules (rd.go.th)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Best eligible scheme th-pit-40-8-business at €60,000 = 2,278,560 THB (ECB 37.976 THB/EUR): 60% Section 40(8) standard deduction → PIT base 911,424; less 60,000 personal allowance → taxable 851,424; progressive PIT (5% to 20% bands) = 85,284.80 THB → 3.74%. Social security is voluntary for the self-employed and excluded. Assumes the income is assessable in Thailand (remitted in-year); a non-remitting resident can owe 0% under the remittance rule.
M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Thailand (2024)
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures (Ookla's Speedtest Index put Thailand fixed-broadband median ≈ 237 Mbps in 2025) — the two are not comparable and must not be mixed within this criterion. Thailand's real-world fixed broadband (fibre) is among the fastest/cheapest in the region; the low M-Lab number reflects test methodology, not typical line speed. Value is the median of 2024 daily country medians from M-Lab's public stats API.
M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Thailand (2024)
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures (Ookla's Speedtest Index put Thailand fixed-broadband median ≈ 237 Mbps in 2025) — the two are not comparable and must not be mixed within this criterion. Thailand's real-world fixed broadband (fibre) is among the fastest/cheapest in the region; the low M-Lab number reflects test methodology, not typical line speed. Value is the median of 2024 daily country medians from M-Lab's public stats API.
EF EPI 2025 — Thailand (rank 116/123, score 402, 'Very Low' band)
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First / Signum International AG). EF places Thailand nationally in the 'Very Low' band (score 402, rank 116/123), but English is markedly more workable for a resident in Bangkok (EF city score 467), tourist/expat hubs (Pattaya 474, Phuket 431, Chiang Mai 453) and the hospitality/service sector than the national score implies — hence 'low' rather than 'very-low' for day-to-day usability. Government offices and rural areas remain Thai-only in practice.
EF EPI 2025 — Thailand (rank 116/123, score 402, 'Very Low' band)
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First / Signum International AG). EF places Thailand nationally in the 'Very Low' band (score 402, rank 116/123), but English is markedly more workable for a resident in Bangkok (EF city score 467), tourist/expat hubs (Pattaya 474, Phuket 431, Chiang Mai 453) and the hospitality/service sector than the national score implies — hence 'low' rather than 'very-low' for day-to-day usability. Government offices and rural areas remain Thai-only in practice.
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Mar 31, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- NSO average monthly household expenditure ≈ 21,027 THB (March 2025). Removing about half of the 24.65% housing-&-utilities line as rent/imputed rent gives a household non-rent basket of ≈ 18,435 THB ≈ $553 at 33.32 THB/USD (37.976 THB/EUR ÷ 1.1399 USD/EUR, ECB 2026-07-02); used as a proxy for a single-person non-rent basket (a solo resident's non-rent spend roughly matches a small household's). Rounded to $560.
- Notes
- Whole-kingdom national average — Bangkok and expat-style living run higher (commonly ~$650–750/month excluding rent in market estimates). Non-rent basket: food, utilities, transport & communications, health, recreation, clothing (see cost-breakdown).
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Mar 31, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- NSO average monthly household expenditure ≈ 21,027 THB (March 2025). Removing about half of the 24.65% housing-&-utilities line as rent/imputed rent gives a household non-rent basket of ≈ 18,435 THB ≈ $553 at 33.32 THB/USD (37.976 THB/EUR ÷ 1.1399 USD/EUR, ECB 2026-07-02); used as a proxy for a single-person non-rent basket (a solo resident's non-rent spend roughly matches a small household's). Rounded to $560.
- Notes
- Whole-kingdom national average — Bangkok and expat-style living run higher (commonly ~$650–750/month excluding rent in market estimates). Non-rent basket: food, utilities, transport & communications, health, recreation, clothing (see cost-breakdown).
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Dense, competitive parcel market: Thailand Post (nationwide, ~5,000 outlets), plus private carriers Flash Express, Kerry Express, J&T Express, and platform logistics (Lazada, Shopee). 1–3 day delivery is the norm in and between cities; next-day common within Bangkok and major metros. Cash-on-delivery is widespread. Rated 'good' rather than 'excellent': coverage and tracking are strong in cities but rural/remote delivery is slower and parcel-locker networks are far less pervasive than in top-tier markets.
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Dense, competitive parcel market: Thailand Post (nationwide, ~5,000 outlets), plus private carriers Flash Express, Kerry Express, J&T Express, and platform logistics (Lazada, Shopee). 1–3 day delivery is the norm in and between cities; next-day common within Bangkok and major metros. Cash-on-delivery is widespread. Rated 'good' rather than 'excellent': coverage and tracking are strong in cities but rural/remote delivery is slower and parcel-locker networks are far less pervasive than in top-tier markets.
Family
Relocating with a partner and school-age children.
Bangkok fits better — 2 of 5
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Conservative verified FLOOR of Bangkok-metro schools accredited by IB, Cambridge International, CIS, COBIS, or a US regional accreditor (WASC/NEASC). ISAT (the official Thai international-schools association) reports ~200 member schools nationwide, the large majority in Greater Bangkok, recognised by CIS/WASC/NEASC/EDT. Individually confirmed CIS/IB/Cambridge-accredited Bangkok schools include NIST (IB, CIS, NEASC), Bangkok Patana (IB, CIS, WASC), International School Bangkok (CIS/WASC), Shrewsbury (CIS, WASC, BSO), KIS (IB, CIS), Ascot (IB, CIS/Cambridge), Wellington College (COBIS), Harrow, Brighton College, Regent's, Bangkok Prep, Garden International, SISB (Cambridge) and others. 40 is set as a defensible lower bound; the true accredited-school count for the metro is materially higher.
- Notes
- UNDERCOUNT / floor value, not an exact tally. The IB, Cambridge, CIS and COBIS public school-finders are JavaScript-rendered and could not be exhaustively parsed at verification time, so an exact accreditor-by-accreditor count is not recorded. Aggregators list 100+ international schools in Bangkok; ISAT lists ~200 members nationwide (majority in Bangkok). 40 comfortably exceeds the top scoring anchor (25), so the floor does not distort the score. To be replaced with an exact accreditor-verified count when the directories can be enumerated.
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Count of Chiang Mai international schools verified against a recognised accreditor, de-duplicated across accreditors: IB World Schools confirmed on the IBO registry — Prem Tinsulanonda (ibo.org/en/school/001366), Panyaden (061269), American Pacific (002907); Cambridge International registered schools — Varee Chiangmai, Meritton British, Lanna International (each confirmed via Cambridge 'find a school' Thailand/Chiang Mai and the schools' own Cambridge-centre statements); WASC-accredited American schools — Chiang Mai International School (CMIS, WASC since 1987) and Nakornpayap International School (NIS, WASC). Total distinct = 8.
- Notes
- ±1–2 uncertainty. Conservative floor: only schools whose accreditation I could confirm against the accreditor (IB registry, Cambridge finder, or WASC statement) are counted. Grace International School (American/AP, likely WASC/ACSI) and Christliche Deutsche Schule Chiang Mai (German) are plausibly accredited but were not confirmed against a primary accreditor registry here, so they are excluded — including them would raise the count to ~9–10. The Cambridge finder is JavaScript-rendered and could not be fully enumerated, so additional Cambridge centres may exist.
UNODC via World Bank (Intentional homicides, VC.IHR.PSRC.P5) — republished by Our World in Data
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2021
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- 1.84 per 100,000 is the last firm UNODC data point (2021). UNODC/World Bank have not published a Thailand value for 2022–2024 (Thailand reports offences, not victims, and recent national figures were not submitted to the official series). Third-party aggregators quote rising unofficial figures (~1.9 in 2022, ~2.2 in 2023, ~2.6 in 2024) but these are not in the UNODC/World Bank published series and are not recorded here. To be re-verified when UNODC releases a newer Thailand figure.
UNODC via World Bank (Intentional homicides, VC.IHR.PSRC.P5) — republished by Our World in Data
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2021
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- 1.84 per 100,000 is the last firm UNODC data point (2021). UNODC/World Bank have not published a Thailand value for 2022–2024 (Thailand reports offences, not victims, and recent national figures were not submitted to the official series). Third-party aggregators quote rising unofficial figures (~1.9 in 2022, ~2.2 in 2023, ~2.6 in 2024) but these are not in the UNODC/World Bank published series and are not recorded here. To be re-verified when UNODC releases a newer Thailand figure.
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Comprehensive (inpatient + outpatient) private medical insurance for a healthy 35-year-old resident foreigner: international/expat plans with solid inpatient cover run ≈ 25,000–65,000 THB/year; a healthy-35 midpoint ≈ 40,000–45,000 THB ≈ $1,200–1,350 at 33.32 THB/USD. Recorded midpoint ≈ $1,300. Local Thai policies are cheaper (12,000–35,000 THB) but carry more exclusions/territorial limits. Premiums are quoted on request, so this is a curated market midpoint, not a single public engine quote.
- Notes
- Thailand has no universal coverage for foreigners; residents typically buy private cover or pay out of pocket at Thailand's (relatively low-cost, high-quality) private hospitals. Long-stay visas (e.g. some retirement/LTR conditions) require minimum inpatient/outpatient coverage. Medical inflation ~5–8%/yr. Range ≈ $750–1,950.
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Comprehensive (inpatient + outpatient) private medical insurance for a healthy 35-year-old resident foreigner: international/expat plans with solid inpatient cover run ≈ 25,000–65,000 THB/year; a healthy-35 midpoint ≈ 40,000–45,000 THB ≈ $1,200–1,350 at 33.32 THB/USD. Recorded midpoint ≈ $1,300. Local Thai policies are cheaper (12,000–35,000 THB) but carry more exclusions/territorial limits. Premiums are quoted on request, so this is a curated market midpoint, not a single public engine quote.
- Notes
- Thailand has no universal coverage for foreigners; residents typically buy private cover or pay out of pocket at Thailand's (relatively low-cost, high-quality) private hospitals. Long-stay visas (e.g. some retirement/LTR conditions) require minimum inpatient/outpatient coverage. Medical inflation ~5–8%/yr. Range ≈ $750–1,950.
Official source
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2022
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- 22.7 µg/m³ is the last firm PCD Bangkok annual-mean figure (2022), the tail of a declining trend (27 in 2018, 26 in 2019, 23 in 2020, 23 in 2021, 22.7 in 2022). Independent 2024 city estimates run higher (IQAir 2024 World Air Quality Report ≈ 27 µg/m³); the World Bank satellite-derived Thailand national mean was 23.5 µg/m³ for 2023. All bases put Bangkok well above the WHO 2021 guideline (5 µg/m³) and around the Thai annual standard (15 µg/m³, tightened June 2023). Pollution is strongly seasonal — the Nov–Mar cool/dry season (agricultural burning + inversions) drives monthly means above 50 µg/m³, while the May–Aug monsoon washes them down to 10–20 µg/m³. To be re-verified against a newer official PCD single-year Bangkok annual mean.
IQAir World Air Quality Report — Chiang Mai city annual mean (compiled from ground monitoring)
Research
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2019
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Latest cleanly-attributed city annual mean available: 32.3 µg/m³ for 2019 (IQAir compilation of ground-station data). Corroborated by peer-reviewed monitoring: 2013–2022 mean 27.5 µg/m³ (24-hour basis) and 22.7 µg/m³ annual in 2017 (Decadal Trends study, PMC11125922). Recorded as 'research' rather than a public-domain open-data register because Thailand's national monitoring authority (PCD/Air4Thai) does not publish a redistributable city annual-mean series in an accessible form.
- Notes
- Chiang Mai's annual mean masks an extreme seasonal pattern: PM2.5 is very low most of the year (~5–6 µg/m³ in the wet season) but spikes to hazardous levels during the agricultural/forest burning season (roughly Feb–Apr), when city outdoor means around 100+ µg/m³ have been recorded and Chiang Mai regularly tops global live-AQI rankings. The ~32 µg/m³ annual figure is above the WHO 2021 guideline (5 µg/m³) and the EU limit territory; the lived experience is far worse for 2–3 months and near-pristine the rest of the year. To be refined if the Pollution Control Department (Air4Thai) publishes a redistributable recent annual-mean series.
EF EPI 2025 — Thailand (rank 116/123, score 402, 'Very Low' band)
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First / Signum International AG). EF places Thailand nationally in the 'Very Low' band (score 402, rank 116/123), but English is markedly more workable for a resident in Bangkok (EF city score 467), tourist/expat hubs (Pattaya 474, Phuket 431, Chiang Mai 453) and the hospitality/service sector than the national score implies — hence 'low' rather than 'very-low' for day-to-day usability. Government offices and rural areas remain Thai-only in practice.
EF EPI 2025 — Thailand (rank 116/123, score 402, 'Very Low' band)
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First / Signum International AG). EF places Thailand nationally in the 'Very Low' band (score 402, rank 116/123), but English is markedly more workable for a resident in Bangkok (EF city score 467), tourist/expat hubs (Pattaya 474, Phuket 431, Chiang Mai 453) and the hospitality/service sector than the national score implies — hence 'low' rather than 'very-low' for day-to-day usability. Government offices and rural areas remain Thai-only in practice.
Money & crypto
Optimising tax, banking and crypto rules.
A close call for this plan
Official source
- Data as of
- Sep 5, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Crypto ('digital assets') is legal and regulated: exchanges, brokers and dealers must be licensed by the Thai SEC under the 2018 Digital Asset Business Decree (AML/KYC). Classified 'legal-friendly' because of an explicit tax break — under Ministerial Regulation No. 399 (Royal Gazette 5 Sept 2025), capital gains from selling crypto/digital tokens through a Thai-licensed exchange/broker/dealer are exempt from personal income tax for income received 1 Jan 2025–31 Dec 2029. Trading via unlicensed foreign platforms is discouraged/blockable and not covered by the exemption.
Official source
- Data as of
- Sep 5, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Crypto ('digital assets') is legal and regulated: exchanges, brokers and dealers must be licensed by the Thai SEC under the 2018 Digital Asset Business Decree (AML/KYC). Classified 'legal-friendly' because of an explicit tax break — under Ministerial Regulation No. 399 (Royal Gazette 5 Sept 2025), capital gains from selling crypto/digital tokens through a Thai-licensed exchange/broker/dealer are exempt from personal income tax for income received 1 Jan 2025–31 Dec 2029. Trading via unlicensed foreign platforms is discouraged/blockable and not covered by the exemption.
Official source
- Data as of
- Dec 30, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Composite: Thailand operates active exchange controls administered by the Bank of Thailand. The baht is not fully liberalized; residents may hold foreign-currency deposit (FCD) accounts and remit funds, but banks must verify supporting documents for inbound FX transactions of USD 200,000+ (BOT Circular, effective 29–30 Dec 2025) and report large non-resident transfers. Residents are taxed on worldwide income only when remitted to Thailand (Revenue Department remittance rule). Non-residents can open THB/FCD accounts with authorized banks. Foreigners can bank locally but face documentation friction; there is no FBAR-style personal foreign-asset disclosure. Neither low (like the EU) nor very-high (no hard capital lock-in) → moderate.
Official source
- Data as of
- Dec 30, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Composite: Thailand operates active exchange controls administered by the Bank of Thailand. The baht is not fully liberalized; residents may hold foreign-currency deposit (FCD) accounts and remit funds, but banks must verify supporting documents for inbound FX transactions of USD 200,000+ (BOT Circular, effective 29–30 Dec 2025) and report large non-resident transfers. Residents are taxed on worldwide income only when remitted to Thailand (Revenue Department remittance rule). Non-residents can open THB/FCD accounts with authorized banks. Foreigners can bank locally but face documentation friction; there is no FBAR-style personal foreign-asset disclosure. Neither low (like the EU) nor very-high (no hard capital lock-in) → moderate.
SettleMetric tax engine over official Thai Revenue Department rules (rd.go.th)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Best eligible scheme th-pit-40-8-business at €60,000 = 2,278,560 THB (ECB 37.976 THB/EUR): 60% Section 40(8) standard deduction → PIT base 911,424; less 60,000 personal allowance → taxable 851,424; progressive PIT (5% to 20% bands) = 85,284.80 THB → 3.74%. Social security is voluntary for the self-employed and excluded. Assumes the income is assessable in Thailand (remitted in-year); a non-remitting resident can owe 0% under the remittance rule.
SettleMetric tax engine over official Thai Revenue Department rules (rd.go.th)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Best eligible scheme th-pit-40-8-business at €60,000 = 2,278,560 THB (ECB 37.976 THB/EUR): 60% Section 40(8) standard deduction → PIT base 911,424; less 60,000 personal allowance → taxable 851,424; progressive PIT (5% to 20% bands) = 85,284.80 THB → 3.74%. Social security is voluntary for the self-employed and excluded. Assumes the income is assessable in Thailand (remitted in-year); a non-remitting resident can owe 0% under the remittance rule.
Calm lifestyle
Prioritising safety, air, and an easy daily life.
Bangkok fits better — 1 of 4
UNODC via World Bank (Intentional homicides, VC.IHR.PSRC.P5) — republished by Our World in Data
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2021
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- 1.84 per 100,000 is the last firm UNODC data point (2021). UNODC/World Bank have not published a Thailand value for 2022–2024 (Thailand reports offences, not victims, and recent national figures were not submitted to the official series). Third-party aggregators quote rising unofficial figures (~1.9 in 2022, ~2.2 in 2023, ~2.6 in 2024) but these are not in the UNODC/World Bank published series and are not recorded here. To be re-verified when UNODC releases a newer Thailand figure.
UNODC via World Bank (Intentional homicides, VC.IHR.PSRC.P5) — republished by Our World in Data
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2021
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- 1.84 per 100,000 is the last firm UNODC data point (2021). UNODC/World Bank have not published a Thailand value for 2022–2024 (Thailand reports offences, not victims, and recent national figures were not submitted to the official series). Third-party aggregators quote rising unofficial figures (~1.9 in 2022, ~2.2 in 2023, ~2.6 in 2024) but these are not in the UNODC/World Bank published series and are not recorded here. To be re-verified when UNODC releases a newer Thailand figure.
Official source
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2022
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- 22.7 µg/m³ is the last firm PCD Bangkok annual-mean figure (2022), the tail of a declining trend (27 in 2018, 26 in 2019, 23 in 2020, 23 in 2021, 22.7 in 2022). Independent 2024 city estimates run higher (IQAir 2024 World Air Quality Report ≈ 27 µg/m³); the World Bank satellite-derived Thailand national mean was 23.5 µg/m³ for 2023. All bases put Bangkok well above the WHO 2021 guideline (5 µg/m³) and around the Thai annual standard (15 µg/m³, tightened June 2023). Pollution is strongly seasonal — the Nov–Mar cool/dry season (agricultural burning + inversions) drives monthly means above 50 µg/m³, while the May–Aug monsoon washes them down to 10–20 µg/m³. To be re-verified against a newer official PCD single-year Bangkok annual mean.
IQAir World Air Quality Report — Chiang Mai city annual mean (compiled from ground monitoring)
Research
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2019
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Latest cleanly-attributed city annual mean available: 32.3 µg/m³ for 2019 (IQAir compilation of ground-station data). Corroborated by peer-reviewed monitoring: 2013–2022 mean 27.5 µg/m³ (24-hour basis) and 22.7 µg/m³ annual in 2017 (Decadal Trends study, PMC11125922). Recorded as 'research' rather than a public-domain open-data register because Thailand's national monitoring authority (PCD/Air4Thai) does not publish a redistributable city annual-mean series in an accessible form.
- Notes
- Chiang Mai's annual mean masks an extreme seasonal pattern: PM2.5 is very low most of the year (~5–6 µg/m³ in the wet season) but spikes to hazardous levels during the agricultural/forest burning season (roughly Feb–Apr), when city outdoor means around 100+ µg/m³ have been recorded and Chiang Mai regularly tops global live-AQI rankings. The ~32 µg/m³ annual figure is above the WHO 2021 guideline (5 µg/m³) and the EU limit territory; the lived experience is far worse for 2–3 months and near-pristine the rest of the year. To be refined if the Pollution Control Department (Air4Thai) publishes a redistributable recent annual-mean series.
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Mar 31, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- NSO average monthly household expenditure ≈ 21,027 THB (March 2025). Removing about half of the 24.65% housing-&-utilities line as rent/imputed rent gives a household non-rent basket of ≈ 18,435 THB ≈ $553 at 33.32 THB/USD (37.976 THB/EUR ÷ 1.1399 USD/EUR, ECB 2026-07-02); used as a proxy for a single-person non-rent basket (a solo resident's non-rent spend roughly matches a small household's). Rounded to $560.
- Notes
- Whole-kingdom national average — Bangkok and expat-style living run higher (commonly ~$650–750/month excluding rent in market estimates). Non-rent basket: food, utilities, transport & communications, health, recreation, clothing (see cost-breakdown).
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Mar 31, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- NSO average monthly household expenditure ≈ 21,027 THB (March 2025). Removing about half of the 24.65% housing-&-utilities line as rent/imputed rent gives a household non-rent basket of ≈ 18,435 THB ≈ $553 at 33.32 THB/USD (37.976 THB/EUR ÷ 1.1399 USD/EUR, ECB 2026-07-02); used as a proxy for a single-person non-rent basket (a solo resident's non-rent spend roughly matches a small household's). Rounded to $560.
- Notes
- Whole-kingdom national average — Bangkok and expat-style living run higher (commonly ~$650–750/month excluding rent in market estimates). Non-rent basket: food, utilities, transport & communications, health, recreation, clothing (see cost-breakdown).
SettleMetric computation over climate-normals
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2020
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Criterion rule: months whose 1991–2020 normal has mean daily maximum between 15°C and 28°C AND precipitation < 150mm. Bangkok's coolest month (December) still has a mean daily max of 32.3°C, so NO month falls in the 15–28°C band → 0 pleasant months. The metric is calibrated for temperate climates; a tropical city reads 0 not because it is unpleasant to everyone but because it is consistently hot (32–36°C highs year-round). Users should read the raw normals for their own taste.
SettleMetric computation over climate-normals
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2020
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Criterion rule: count months with mean daily maximum 15–28°C and precipitation < 150 mm. Chiang Mai's mean daily maximum exceeds 28°C in every month (coolest is December at 28.3°C, January 29.4°C), so zero months satisfy the upper-temperature bound → 0.
- Notes
- 0 reflects the metric's temperate-comfort band, which penalises year-round tropical heat; it does not mean Chiang Mai is unpleasant to residents. By local standards the agreeable window is the cool-dry season (Nov–Feb): warm days ~29–30°C, cool nights 14–17°C, low rain. That season overlaps the burning-season air-pollution spike (see air-quality-pm25). Raw normals are stored alongside so users can judge by their own taste.
03
The full comparison
Open any fact to see what it measures, how fresh it is and the complete source trail for both cities.
01
Taxes
01+−Freelancer tax burden% effective burden at €60k/year self-employed profileBangkok3.7Chiang Mai3.7
What this measures
Effective total burden (income tax + mandatory social and health contributions) for a solo IT freelancer with €60,000/year revenue and 10% deductible expenses, using the most favourable eligible scheme in the country's tax-schemes data. Computed by the SettleMetric tax engine; recorded as a curated value with the winning scheme id in method.
Bangkok
SettleMetric tax engine over official Thai Revenue Department rules (rd.go.th)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Best eligible scheme th-pit-40-8-business at €60,000 = 2,278,560 THB (ECB 37.976 THB/EUR): 60% Section 40(8) standard deduction → PIT base 911,424; less 60,000 personal allowance → taxable 851,424; progressive PIT (5% to 20% bands) = 85,284.80 THB → 3.74%. Social security is voluntary for the self-employed and excluded. Assumes the income is assessable in Thailand (remitted in-year); a non-remitting resident can owe 0% under the remittance rule.
Chiang Mai
SettleMetric tax engine over official Thai Revenue Department rules (rd.go.th)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Best eligible scheme th-pit-40-8-business at €60,000 = 2,278,560 THB (ECB 37.976 THB/EUR): 60% Section 40(8) standard deduction → PIT base 911,424; less 60,000 personal allowance → taxable 851,424; progressive PIT (5% to 20% bands) = 85,284.80 THB → 3.74%. Social security is voluntary for the self-employed and excluded. Assumes the income is assessable in Thailand (remitted in-year); a non-remitting resident can owe 0% under the remittance rule.
02
Legalization
01+−Remote-work legalization easeBangkokDedicated nomad visaChiang MaiDedicated nomad visa
What this measures
Best available legalization route for a location-independent earner with a median (non-EU, non-US) passport, classified from this country's legalization-paths data: dedicated digital-nomad visa; general freelance/self-employment permit; realistic long-stay path (e.g. renewable temporary residence); only short visa-free/tourist stays; effectively none.
Bangkok
Royal Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs — Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) checklist
Official source
- Data as of
- Jul 15, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Thailand has a dedicated digital-nomad visa: the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV), a 5-year multiple-entry visa (180 days/entry, extendable +180) for remote workers/freelancers, launched 15 July 2024, open to all nationalities with 500,000 THB of funds. The 10-year LTR 'Work-from-Thailand Professional' visa is an additional high-income remote-worker route with a foreign-income tax exemption.
Chiang Mai
Royal Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs — Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) checklist
Official source
- Data as of
- Jul 15, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Thailand has a dedicated digital-nomad visa: the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV), a 5-year multiple-entry visa (180 days/entry, extendable +180) for remote workers/freelancers, launched 15 July 2024, open to all nationalities with 500,000 THB of funds. The 10-year LTR 'Work-from-Thailand Professional' visa is an additional high-income remote-worker route with a foreign-income tax exemption.
03
Cost of living
01+−Cost of living (single, excl. rent)USD/month, single person, excluding rentBangkok560Chiang Mai560
What this measures
Monthly cost of a defined single-person basket (food, transport, utilities, mobile+internet, modest leisure) excluding rent, curated from national statistics office price data and large local retailers' published prices, converted to USD at the ECB rate recorded in fx-rates. The method field of each value itemizes the basket inputs.
Bangkok
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Mar 31, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- NSO average monthly household expenditure ≈ 21,027 THB (March 2025). Removing about half of the 24.65% housing-&-utilities line as rent/imputed rent gives a household non-rent basket of ≈ 18,435 THB ≈ $553 at 33.32 THB/USD (37.976 THB/EUR ÷ 1.1399 USD/EUR, ECB 2026-07-02); used as a proxy for a single-person non-rent basket (a solo resident's non-rent spend roughly matches a small household's). Rounded to $560.
- Notes
- Whole-kingdom national average — Bangkok and expat-style living run higher (commonly ~$650–750/month excluding rent in market estimates). Non-rent basket: food, utilities, transport & communications, health, recreation, clothing (see cost-breakdown).
Chiang Mai
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Mar 31, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- NSO average monthly household expenditure ≈ 21,027 THB (March 2025). Removing about half of the 24.65% housing-&-utilities line as rent/imputed rent gives a household non-rent basket of ≈ 18,435 THB ≈ $553 at 33.32 THB/USD (37.976 THB/EUR ÷ 1.1399 USD/EUR, ECB 2026-07-02); used as a proxy for a single-person non-rent basket (a solo resident's non-rent spend roughly matches a small household's). Rounded to $560.
- Notes
- Whole-kingdom national average — Bangkok and expat-style living run higher (commonly ~$650–750/month excluding rent in market estimates). Non-rent basket: food, utilities, transport & communications, health, recreation, clothing (see cost-breakdown).
Thai National Statistical Office (NSO) Household Socio-Economic Survey (category shares), via TPSO
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Mar 31, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- NSO household expenditure by category (March 2025, 21,027 THB/household): food & non-alcoholic 39.13%, transport & communications 22.50%, housing & utilities 24.65% (utilities-only shown, rent excluded ≈ half), health 6.35%, recreation & education 4.03%, clothing 2.10%, alcohol & tobacco 1.24%. Converted at 33.32 THB/USD. Line items sum to ≈ $553, matching the ~$560 cost-of-living aggregate. National average — city living runs higher.
04
Housing
Rent by apartment type
Asking rent, central price with outside-centre in parentheses ($/mo).
Superagent Bangkok condo rental district report 2026 + Global Property Guide (portal asking prices)
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jun 30, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Observed 2026 portal asking-price ranges by district and room count, converted at 33.32 THB/USD. Center = Sukhumvit core (Thonglor, Phrom Phong, Asoke, Sathorn, Silom); outside = outer/mid districts (Rama 9, Udomsuk, Saphan Kwai, Bang Phlat). 1BR: center 28,000 THB ($840, midpoint of 25,000–38,000), outside 15,000 THB ($450, midpoint of 12,000–18,000). 2BR: center 48,000 THB ($1,440, midpoint of 40,000–60,000), outside 28,000 THB ($840, midpoint of 20,000–32,000). Studio derived as ≈0.65× the 1BR of the same location (center $540, outside $300), consistent with observed budget studios ~8,000–12,000 THB outer and ~18,000–25,000 THB central. 3BR extrapolated as ≈1.35× the 2BR of the same location (center $1,950, outside $1,140).
- Notes
- DERIVED breakdown. Directly observed from the sources: 1BR and 2BR ranges by central vs outer district. Studio and 3BR cells are extrapolated from the observed 1BR/2BR figures using standard Bangkok size ratios and are flagged as estimates — no single portal report publishes a clean studio/1br/2br/3br × center/outside matrix. All values are asking prices, not transaction prices.
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jun 30, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Midpoints of the 2026 portal rental table converted at 33.32 THB/USD. Reported THB ranges: studio 5,000–9,000 (central Old City/Nimman) → mid ≈ 8,000 = $240, side-street/suburb ≈ 5,500 = $165; 1BR condo w/ pool 10,000–18,000 and premium Nimman 15,000–25,000 → central ≈ 15,000 = $450, outer ≈ 10,000 = $300; 2BR 16,000–28,000 → central ≈ 22,000 = $660, outer (Mae Hia/San Kamphaeng) ≈ 16,000 = $480; 3BR furnished house 22,000–40,000 → central-equivalent ≈ 30,000 = $900, outer (Hang Dong/Sansai) ≈ 24,000 = $720.
- Notes
- DERIVED midpoints from a single 2026 portal report — the source publishes ranges by neighbourhood/property type, not a clean room×center/outside matrix, so the eight cells are transparently interpolated and should be read as indicative, not surveyed. 'Center' = Nimman/Old City core; 'outside' = suburban districts (Hang Dong, Mae Hia, San Kamphaeng, Sansai), which offer 25–35% more space per baht. Portal asking prices, curated proxy, not an official statistic.
05
Safety
01+−Homicide rateintentional homicides per 100,000/yearBangkok1.8Chiang Mai1.8
What this measures
Intentional homicide victims per 100,000 population, latest available year. Country level: UNODC national series. City level: official municipal/police statistics where published; otherwise null (country value shown as country-level).
Bangkok
UNODC via World Bank (Intentional homicides, VC.IHR.PSRC.P5) — republished by Our World in Data
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2021
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- 1.84 per 100,000 is the last firm UNODC data point (2021). UNODC/World Bank have not published a Thailand value for 2022–2024 (Thailand reports offences, not victims, and recent national figures were not submitted to the official series). Third-party aggregators quote rising unofficial figures (~1.9 in 2022, ~2.2 in 2023, ~2.6 in 2024) but these are not in the UNODC/World Bank published series and are not recorded here. To be re-verified when UNODC releases a newer Thailand figure.
Chiang Mai
UNODC via World Bank (Intentional homicides, VC.IHR.PSRC.P5) — republished by Our World in Data
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2021
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- 1.84 per 100,000 is the last firm UNODC data point (2021). UNODC/World Bank have not published a Thailand value for 2022–2024 (Thailand reports offences, not victims, and recent national figures were not submitted to the official series). Third-party aggregators quote rising unofficial figures (~1.9 in 2022, ~2.2 in 2023, ~2.6 in 2024) but these are not in the UNODC/World Bank published series and are not recorded here. To be re-verified when UNODC releases a newer Thailand figure.
06
Climate
01+−Climate comfortpleasant months/yearBangkok0Chiang Mai0
What this measures
Number of months whose 1991–2020 climate normals satisfy: mean daily maximum between 15°C and 28°C and monthly precipitation under 150mm. Computed from the city's climate-normals indicator; the raw normals are stored alongside so users can judge by their own taste.
Bangkok
SettleMetric computation over climate-normals
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2020
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Criterion rule: months whose 1991–2020 normal has mean daily maximum between 15°C and 28°C AND precipitation < 150mm. Bangkok's coolest month (December) still has a mean daily max of 32.3°C, so NO month falls in the 15–28°C band → 0 pleasant months. The metric is calibrated for temperate climates; a tropical city reads 0 not because it is unpleasant to everyone but because it is consistently hot (32–36°C highs year-round). Users should read the raw normals for their own taste.
Chiang Mai
SettleMetric computation over climate-normals
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2020
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Criterion rule: count months with mean daily maximum 15–28°C and precipitation < 150 mm. Chiang Mai's mean daily maximum exceeds 28°C in every month (coolest is December at 28.3°C, January 29.4°C), so zero months satisfy the upper-temperature bound → 0.
- Notes
- 0 reflects the metric's temperate-comfort band, which penalises year-round tropical heat; it does not mean Chiang Mai is unpleasant to residents. By local standards the agreeable window is the cool-dry season (Nov–Feb): warm days ~29–30°C, cool nights 14–17°C, low rain. That season overlaps the burning-season air-pollution spike (see air-quality-pm25). Raw normals are stored alongside so users can judge by their own taste.
02+−Air quality (PM2.5)µg/m³, annual mean PM2.5Bangkokstronger22.7Chiang Mai32.3
What this measures
Annual mean fine-particulate (PM2.5) concentration for the city, latest available year. Anchors follow the WHO 2021 guideline (5 µg/m³ → 10) through the EU limit value territory (25 µg/m³ → 2). Preferred source: European Environment Agency city-level air quality data; outside Europe: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database or the national monitoring network.
Bangkok
Official source
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2022
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- 22.7 µg/m³ is the last firm PCD Bangkok annual-mean figure (2022), the tail of a declining trend (27 in 2018, 26 in 2019, 23 in 2020, 23 in 2021, 22.7 in 2022). Independent 2024 city estimates run higher (IQAir 2024 World Air Quality Report ≈ 27 µg/m³); the World Bank satellite-derived Thailand national mean was 23.5 µg/m³ for 2023. All bases put Bangkok well above the WHO 2021 guideline (5 µg/m³) and around the Thai annual standard (15 µg/m³, tightened June 2023). Pollution is strongly seasonal — the Nov–Mar cool/dry season (agricultural burning + inversions) drives monthly means above 50 µg/m³, while the May–Aug monsoon washes them down to 10–20 µg/m³. To be re-verified against a newer official PCD single-year Bangkok annual mean.
Chiang Mai
IQAir World Air Quality Report — Chiang Mai city annual mean (compiled from ground monitoring)
Research
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2019
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Latest cleanly-attributed city annual mean available: 32.3 µg/m³ for 2019 (IQAir compilation of ground-station data). Corroborated by peer-reviewed monitoring: 2013–2022 mean 27.5 µg/m³ (24-hour basis) and 22.7 µg/m³ annual in 2017 (Decadal Trends study, PMC11125922). Recorded as 'research' rather than a public-domain open-data register because Thailand's national monitoring authority (PCD/Air4Thai) does not publish a redistributable city annual-mean series in an accessible form.
- Notes
- Chiang Mai's annual mean masks an extreme seasonal pattern: PM2.5 is very low most of the year (~5–6 µg/m³ in the wet season) but spikes to hazardous levels during the agricultural/forest burning season (roughly Feb–Apr), when city outdoor means around 100+ µg/m³ have been recorded and Chiang Mai regularly tops global live-AQI rankings. The ~32 µg/m³ annual figure is above the WHO 2021 guideline (5 µg/m³) and the EU limit territory; the lived experience is far worse for 2–3 months and near-pristine the rest of the year. To be refined if the Pollution Control Department (Air4Thai) publishes a redistributable recent annual-mean series.
07
Healthcare
01+−Private healthcare costUSD/year, comprehensive private insurance premium, healthy 35-year-oldBangkok1,300Chiang Mai1,300
What this measures
Median of at least three publicly quoted annual premiums for comprehensive private medical insurance (outpatient + inpatient, ~$100k coverage, small deductible) for a healthy 35-year-old resident foreigner, from local and international insurers. Method field lists the insurers quoted.
Bangkok
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Comprehensive (inpatient + outpatient) private medical insurance for a healthy 35-year-old resident foreigner: international/expat plans with solid inpatient cover run ≈ 25,000–65,000 THB/year; a healthy-35 midpoint ≈ 40,000–45,000 THB ≈ $1,200–1,350 at 33.32 THB/USD. Recorded midpoint ≈ $1,300. Local Thai policies are cheaper (12,000–35,000 THB) but carry more exclusions/territorial limits. Premiums are quoted on request, so this is a curated market midpoint, not a single public engine quote.
- Notes
- Thailand has no universal coverage for foreigners; residents typically buy private cover or pay out of pocket at Thailand's (relatively low-cost, high-quality) private hospitals. Long-stay visas (e.g. some retirement/LTR conditions) require minimum inpatient/outpatient coverage. Medical inflation ~5–8%/yr. Range ≈ $750–1,950.
Chiang Mai
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Comprehensive (inpatient + outpatient) private medical insurance for a healthy 35-year-old resident foreigner: international/expat plans with solid inpatient cover run ≈ 25,000–65,000 THB/year; a healthy-35 midpoint ≈ 40,000–45,000 THB ≈ $1,200–1,350 at 33.32 THB/USD. Recorded midpoint ≈ $1,300. Local Thai policies are cheaper (12,000–35,000 THB) but carry more exclusions/territorial limits. Premiums are quoted on request, so this is a curated market midpoint, not a single public engine quote.
- Notes
- Thailand has no universal coverage for foreigners; residents typically buy private cover or pay out of pocket at Thailand's (relatively low-cost, high-quality) private hospitals. Long-stay visas (e.g. some retirement/LTR conditions) require minimum inpatient/outpatient coverage. Medical inflation ~5–8%/yr. Range ≈ $750–1,950.
08
Money & crypto
01+−Crypto regulationBangkokLegal friendlyChiang MaiLegal friendly
What this measures
Own classification of the legal status of holding, trading and cashing out cryptocurrency for individuals: legal-friendly (legal with clear, favourable rules or explicit tax exemptions), legal-regulated (legal under standard licensing/AML and taxation), restricted (partial bans: payments or banking access prohibited), banned (holding/trading prohibited). Classified from national regulators' and central banks' official positions.
Bangkok
Official source
- Data as of
- Sep 5, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Crypto ('digital assets') is legal and regulated: exchanges, brokers and dealers must be licensed by the Thai SEC under the 2018 Digital Asset Business Decree (AML/KYC). Classified 'legal-friendly' because of an explicit tax break — under Ministerial Regulation No. 399 (Royal Gazette 5 Sept 2025), capital gains from selling crypto/digital tokens through a Thai-licensed exchange/broker/dealer are exempt from personal income tax for income received 1 Jan 2025–31 Dec 2029. Trading via unlicensed foreign platforms is discouraged/blockable and not covered by the exemption.
Chiang Mai
Official source
- Data as of
- Sep 5, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Crypto ('digital assets') is legal and regulated: exchanges, brokers and dealers must be licensed by the Thai SEC under the 2018 Digital Asset Business Decree (AML/KYC). Classified 'legal-friendly' because of an explicit tax break — under Ministerial Regulation No. 399 (Royal Gazette 5 Sept 2025), capital gains from selling crypto/digital tokens through a Thai-licensed exchange/broker/dealer are exempt from personal income tax for income received 1 Jan 2025–31 Dec 2029. Trading via unlicensed foreign platforms is discouraged/blockable and not covered by the exemption.
02+−Financial control levelBangkokModerateChiang MaiModerate
What this measures
Own composite of state control over personal money flows: currency/capital controls (IMF AREAER), restrictions on foreign accounts and transfers, mandatory income declaration scope for residents, cash payment limits, banking access for foreigners. Low = free movement of personal funds and easy non-resident banking; very-high = strict capital controls and pervasive reporting. Method field on each value lists the inputs used.
Bangkok
Official source
- Data as of
- Dec 30, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Composite: Thailand operates active exchange controls administered by the Bank of Thailand. The baht is not fully liberalized; residents may hold foreign-currency deposit (FCD) accounts and remit funds, but banks must verify supporting documents for inbound FX transactions of USD 200,000+ (BOT Circular, effective 29–30 Dec 2025) and report large non-resident transfers. Residents are taxed on worldwide income only when remitted to Thailand (Revenue Department remittance rule). Non-residents can open THB/FCD accounts with authorized banks. Foreigners can bank locally but face documentation friction; there is no FBAR-style personal foreign-asset disclosure. Neither low (like the EU) nor very-high (no hard capital lock-in) → moderate.
Chiang Mai
Official source
- Data as of
- Dec 30, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Composite: Thailand operates active exchange controls administered by the Bank of Thailand. The baht is not fully liberalized; residents may hold foreign-currency deposit (FCD) accounts and remit funds, but banks must verify supporting documents for inbound FX transactions of USD 200,000+ (BOT Circular, effective 29–30 Dec 2025) and report large non-resident transfers. Residents are taxed on worldwide income only when remitted to Thailand (Revenue Department remittance rule). Non-residents can open THB/FCD accounts with authorized banks. Foreigners can bank locally but face documentation friction; there is no FBAR-style personal foreign-asset disclosure. Neither low (like the EU) nor very-high (no hard capital lock-in) → moderate.
09
Infrastructure
01+−Domestic delivery qualityBangkokGoodChiang MaiGood
What this measures
Quality of in-country parcel delivery. excellent = nationwide next-day widely available, dense parcel-locker network, real-time tracking standard; good = 1–3 day delivery, lockers in major cities; basic = reliable but slow (3–7 days), mostly to-door or post-office pickup; poor = unreliable delivery, street addresses often unusable, informal workarounds common. Classified from official service/coverage data of the national postal operator and the two largest private carriers; inputs itemized in each value's method field.
Bangkok
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Dense, competitive parcel market: Thailand Post (nationwide, ~5,000 outlets), plus private carriers Flash Express, Kerry Express, J&T Express, and platform logistics (Lazada, Shopee). 1–3 day delivery is the norm in and between cities; next-day common within Bangkok and major metros. Cash-on-delivery is widespread. Rated 'good' rather than 'excellent': coverage and tracking are strong in cities but rural/remote delivery is slower and parcel-locker networks are far less pervasive than in top-tier markets.
Chiang Mai
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Dense, competitive parcel market: Thailand Post (nationwide, ~5,000 outlets), plus private carriers Flash Express, Kerry Express, J&T Express, and platform logistics (Lazada, Shopee). 1–3 day delivery is the norm in and between cities; next-day common within Bangkok and major metros. Cash-on-delivery is widespread. Rated 'good' rather than 'excellent': coverage and tracking are strong in cities but rural/remote delivery is slower and parcel-locker networks are far less pervasive than in top-tier markets.
02+−International delivery easeBangkokSignificant frictionChiang MaiSignificant friction
What this measures
Ease of receiving goods from abroad. seamless = major international carriers deliver door-to-door, meaningful duty-free de-minimis threshold, customs clearance predictable in days; minor-friction = carriers present but low de-minimis, extra paperwork or routine delays; significant-friction = frequent customs holds, high brokerage fees, some marketplaces refuse to ship; unreliable = parcels regularly lost or blocked, informal import channels dominate. De-minimis thresholds and clearance rules from the national customs authority (official source, cite the regulation); carrier presence from carriers' official pages.
Bangkok
Official source
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Major international carriers (DHL, FedEx, UPS) deliver door-to-door and clearance is generally predictable in days. But friction has risen sharply: 7% import VAT applies to all parcels since July 2024, and from 1 January 2026 the 1,500 THB de-minimis duty-free threshold was abolished entirely — every imported good is now potentially subject to customs duty plus VAT, with brokerage handling fees. Combined with routine documentation requirements, this puts Thailand at 'significant-friction' for receiving goods from abroad.
Chiang Mai
Official source
- Data as of
- Jan 1, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Major international carriers (DHL, FedEx, UPS) deliver door-to-door and clearance is generally predictable in days. But friction has risen sharply: 7% import VAT applies to all parcels since July 2024, and from 1 January 2026 the 1,500 THB de-minimis duty-free threshold was abolished entirely — every imported good is now potentially subject to customs duty plus VAT, with brokerage handling fees. Combined with routine documentation requirements, this puts Thailand at 'significant-friction' for receiving goods from abroad.
03+−Internet speedMbps, median fixed downloadBangkok15.9Chiang Mai15.9
What this measures
Median fixed-broadband download speed over the trailing 6 months from M-Lab NDT open data (CC0), aggregated at country or city level. Not comparable with Ookla figures (different test methodology) — do not mix sources within this criterion.
Bangkok
M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Thailand (2024)
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures (Ookla's Speedtest Index put Thailand fixed-broadband median ≈ 237 Mbps in 2025) — the two are not comparable and must not be mixed within this criterion. Thailand's real-world fixed broadband (fibre) is among the fastest/cheapest in the region; the low M-Lab number reflects test methodology, not typical line speed. Value is the median of 2024 daily country medians from M-Lab's public stats API.
Chiang Mai
M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Thailand (2024)
Open data
- Data as of
- Dec 31, 2024
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- M-Lab NDT is single-stream and reads well below Ookla-style figures (Ookla's Speedtest Index put Thailand fixed-broadband median ≈ 237 Mbps in 2025) — the two are not comparable and must not be mixed within this criterion. Thailand's real-world fixed broadband (fibre) is among the fastest/cheapest in the region; the low M-Lab number reflects test methodology, not typical line speed. Value is the median of 2024 daily country medians from M-Lab's public stats API.
10
Language
01+−English proficiencyBangkokLowChiang MaiLow
What this measures
Own banding of how far English gets a resident in daily life (government offices, healthcare, housing, services). Informed by EF EPI band (research source, cited with attribution, not republished) plus official language status and service-sector realities. Values are our bands, not EF scores.
Bangkok
EF EPI 2025 — Thailand (rank 116/123, score 402, 'Very Low' band)
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First / Signum International AG). EF places Thailand nationally in the 'Very Low' band (score 402, rank 116/123), but English is markedly more workable for a resident in Bangkok (EF city score 467), tourist/expat hubs (Pattaya 474, Phuket 431, Chiang Mai 453) and the hospitality/service sector than the national score implies — hence 'low' rather than 'very-low' for day-to-day usability. Government offices and rural areas remain Thai-only in practice.
Chiang Mai
EF EPI 2025 — Thailand (rank 116/123, score 402, 'Very Low' band)
Research
- Data as of
- Nov 1, 2025
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Notes
- Own band informed by EF EPI (attribution: EF Education First / Signum International AG). EF places Thailand nationally in the 'Very Low' band (score 402, rank 116/123), but English is markedly more workable for a resident in Bangkok (EF city score 467), tourist/expat hubs (Pattaya 474, Phuket 431, Chiang Mai 453) and the hospitality/service sector than the national score implies — hence 'low' rather than 'very-low' for day-to-day usability. Government offices and rural areas remain Thai-only in practice.
11
Education
01+−International schoolsaccredited international schools, countBangkokstronger40Chiang Mai8
What this measures
Count of international schools in the metro area accredited by or member of IB, CIS, COBIS, or an equivalent national-curriculum-abroad body (verified against the accreditor's public registry, not aggregator sites).
Bangkok
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Conservative verified FLOOR of Bangkok-metro schools accredited by IB, Cambridge International, CIS, COBIS, or a US regional accreditor (WASC/NEASC). ISAT (the official Thai international-schools association) reports ~200 member schools nationwide, the large majority in Greater Bangkok, recognised by CIS/WASC/NEASC/EDT. Individually confirmed CIS/IB/Cambridge-accredited Bangkok schools include NIST (IB, CIS, NEASC), Bangkok Patana (IB, CIS, WASC), International School Bangkok (CIS/WASC), Shrewsbury (CIS, WASC, BSO), KIS (IB, CIS), Ascot (IB, CIS/Cambridge), Wellington College (COBIS), Harrow, Brighton College, Regent's, Bangkok Prep, Garden International, SISB (Cambridge) and others. 40 is set as a defensible lower bound; the true accredited-school count for the metro is materially higher.
- Notes
- UNDERCOUNT / floor value, not an exact tally. The IB, Cambridge, CIS and COBIS public school-finders are JavaScript-rendered and could not be exhaustively parsed at verification time, so an exact accreditor-by-accreditor count is not recorded. Aggregators list 100+ international schools in Bangkok; ISAT lists ~200 members nationwide (majority in Bangkok). 40 comfortably exceeds the top scoring anchor (25), so the floor does not distort the score. To be replaced with an exact accreditor-verified count when the directories can be enumerated.
Chiang Mai
Curated by SettleMetric
- Data as of
- Jul 4, 2026
- Verified
- Jul 4, 2026
- Method
- Count of Chiang Mai international schools verified against a recognised accreditor, de-duplicated across accreditors: IB World Schools confirmed on the IBO registry — Prem Tinsulanonda (ibo.org/en/school/001366), Panyaden (061269), American Pacific (002907); Cambridge International registered schools — Varee Chiangmai, Meritton British, Lanna International (each confirmed via Cambridge 'find a school' Thailand/Chiang Mai and the schools' own Cambridge-centre statements); WASC-accredited American schools — Chiang Mai International School (CMIS, WASC since 1987) and Nakornpayap International School (NIS, WASC). Total distinct = 8.
- Notes
- ±1–2 uncertainty. Conservative floor: only schools whose accreditation I could confirm against the accreditor (IB registry, Cambridge finder, or WASC statement) are counted. Grace International School (American/AP, likely WASC/ACSI) and Christliche Deutsche Schule Chiang Mai (German) are plausibly accredited but were not confirmed against a primary accreditor registry here, so they are excluded — including them would raise the count to ~9–10. The Cambridge finder is JavaScript-rendered and could not be fully enumerated, so additional Cambridge centres may exist.