01
Coste de vida
$560/mo
TH · CHIANG-MAIDatos locales
Vivir en Chiang Mai.
Thailand's northern hub and the country's top digital-nomad base: dramatically cheaper rent than Bangkok, a dense café/coworking scene, and strong international-school coverage for a mid-size city. The trade-off is a hot tropical climate year-round and a severe burning-season air-pollution spike (roughly February–April) that pushes PM2.5 to hazardous levels.
Verificado
Población 122.627
· Asia/Bangkok· Se aplican las normas de Thailand
Fuente oficial
- Datos a fecha de
- 31 dic 2020
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Notas
- City-proper figure = Nakhon Chiang Mai municipality (thesaban nakhon), whose boundary covers only ~40 km² of the historic core and grossly understates the real city. The functional built-up urban area is far larger — about 1,198,000 (2021, Wikipedia 'largest cities by urban population', UN-boundary basis) — but no clean official register publishes that agglomeration figure. For scale: the surrounding Mueang Chiang Mai district (amphoe) held ~233,600 registered residents (2022) and Chiang Mai province 1,799,019 (2024, DOPA). The 122,627 register value is the latest cleanly-sourced DOPA municipal count; treat it as the administrative city core, not the lived-in metro (~1.2M).
TH · CHIANG-MAI
01
Vista rápida
Las cifras principales de Chiang Mai, cada una con su fuente y su frescura. Una cifra oficial viva no es lo mismo que una estimación de encuesta ni que una normal climática de 30 años.
9.7/10
02
Alquiler, 1–3 dorm.
$300–$900
/mes
03
Impuestos del autónomo
3,7%
Seguridad
7.3/101,84/100k
Calidad del aire
0.5/1032,3 µg/m³
Internet
0.7/1016 Mbps
Inglés
2.0/10Low
Sanidad privada
7.8/10$1300/yr
Qué significan las etiquetasoficial — cifra viva de un gobierno o una autoridaddatos abiertos — conjunto de datos abierto (Eurostat, AEMA, M-Lab, UdSC…)encuesta — estimación de una encuesta o un índicerecopilado — estimación montada por SettleMetric: abre la fuente para ver el método
02
Lo que te cuesta al mes
Una estimación para planificar: alquiler de oferta real más una cesta de coste de vida ajustada a tu hogar. No es un presupuesto en firme.
Hogar
Estilo de vida
Zona
Total estimado
$853/mes
≈ $10.236 / año
En qué se va
- Alquiler (1 dorm.)$300
- Food & non-alcoholic beverages$247
- Transport & communications$142
- Utilities (electricity, water, gas)$78
- Health & personal care$40
- Recreation & education$25
- Clothing & footwear$13
- Alcohol & tobacco$8
- Gastos corrientes$553
El alquiler sale de la matriz de alquileres de oferta de abajo. Los gastos corrientes escalan una cesta de una persona ($553/mes) según el tamaño del hogar y el estilo de vida; los factores de equivalencia son un supuesto nuestro. No se incluyen colegios ni gastos únicos de instalación.
03
Coste de vida
Lo que gasta al mes una persona sola —comida, suministros, transporte, comer fuera y lo demás—, sin contar el alquiler.
Thai National Statistical Office (NSO) Household Socio-Economic Survey (category shares), via TPSO
Recopilado por SettleMetric
- Datos a fecha de
- 31 mar 2025
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Método
- 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.
01Food & non-alcoholic beverages247 USD
02Transport & communications142 USD
03Utilities (electricity, water, gas)78 USD
04Health & personal care40 USD
05Recreation & education25 USD
06Clothing & footwear13 USD
07Alcohol & tobacco8 USD
Cesta de gasto de un hogar de una persona en Thailand, sin contar el alquiler. Lo que no es alquiler varía poco entre ciudades; la parte propia de cada ciudad es el alquiler, que aparece más abajo en Vivienda.
01Cost of living (single, excl. rent)a nivel de país560USD/month, single person, excluding rent9.7
Qué mide esto
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.
Cuanto más bajo, mejorUSD/month, single person, excluding rentse vuelve a verificar cada 365 días
Recopilado por SettleMetric
- Datos a fecha de
- 31 mar 2025
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Método
- 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.
- Notas
- 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).
04
Vivienda
Lo que cuesta alquilar, por tipo de vivienda y zona.
Recopilado por SettleMetric
- Datos a fecha de
- 30 jun 2026
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Método
- 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.
- Notas
- 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.
| Vivienda | Centro | Fuera del centro |
|---|---|---|
| Estudio | 240 USD/mes | 165 USD/mes |
| 1 dormitorio | 450 USD/mes | 300 USD/mes |
| 2 dormitorios | 660 USD/mes | 480 USD/mes |
| 3 dormitorios | 900 USD/mes | 720 USD/mes |
05
Clima
Temperatura y lluvia a lo largo del año, más la calidad del aire.
Datos abiertos
- Datos a fecha de
- 31 dic 2020
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Método
- Monthly climatological normals from the WMO WWIS official feed (city 567), supplied by the Thai Meteorological Department; WMO's current standard-normals cycle is 1991–2020. Cross-checked against the Thai Meteorological Department 1991–2020 table republished on Wikipedia, which agrees within ~1°C on temperature and gives slightly higher wet-season rainfall (e.g. May 167.5 vs 153.0 mm) — likely a station/rounding difference; the direct WMO feed values are recorded.
- Notas
- Tropical savanna climate: a hot dry season (Nov–Apr, cool nights 14–19°C but hot afternoons) and a monsoon wet season (May–Oct). April is the hottest month (mean max 36°C); Dec–Jan nights are the coolest (~14–15°C).
Temperatura media de día y de noche (líneas, eje izquierdo) y lluvia total (barras, eje derecho) por mes, con normales de 1991–2020. Pasa el cursor por un mes para ver las cifras exactas.
| ene | feb | mar | abr | may | jun | jul | ago | sept | oct | nov | dic | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Máxima diurna °C | 29.4° | 32.2° | 34.9° | 36.1° | 34.0° | 32.6° | 31.8° | 31.3° | 31.5° | 31.3° | 29.8° | 28.3° |
| Mínima nocturna °C | 14.2° | 15.6° | 19.0° | 22.4° | 23.7° | 23.9° | 23.8° | 23.6° | 23.1° | 22.1° | 19.2° | 15.3° |
| Lluvia mm | 8 | 9 | 19 | 54 | 153 | 117 | 153 | 225 | 200 | 118 | 51 | 18 |
01Climate comfort0pleasant months/year0.0
Qué mide esto
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.
Cuanto más alto, mejorpleasant months/yearse vuelve a verificar cada 3650 días
Recopilado por SettleMetric
SettleMetric computation over climate-normals
- Datos a fecha de
- 31 dic 2020
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Método
- 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.
- Notas
- 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.
02Air quality (PM2.5)32,3µg/m³, annual mean PM2.50.5
Qué mide esto
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.
Cuanto más bajo, mejorµg/m³, annual mean PM2.5se vuelve a verificar cada 730 días
Estudio
IQAir World Air Quality Report — Chiang Mai city annual mean (compiled from ground monitoring)
- Datos a fecha de
- 31 dic 2019
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Método
- 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.
- Notas
- 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.
06
Seguridad
Cómo de segura es la vida diaria, según estadísticas oficiales de criminalidad.
01Homicide ratea nivel de país1,8intentional homicides per 100,000/year7.3
Qué mide esto
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).
Cuanto más bajo, mejorintentional homicides per 100,000/yearse vuelve a verificar cada 730 días
Datos abiertos
UNODC via World Bank (Intentional homicides, VC.IHR.PSRC.P5) — republished by Our World in Data
- Datos a fecha de
- 31 dic 2021
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Notas
- 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.
07
Infraestructura
Velocidad de internet y cómo llegan los paquetes a tu puerta.
01Domestic delivery qualitya nivel de paísGood7.0
Qué mide esto
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.
Valorado por categoría—se vuelve a verificar cada 730 días
Recopilado por SettleMetric
- Datos a fecha de
- 4 jul 2026
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Método
- 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.
02International delivery easea nivel de paísSignificant friction4.0
Qué mide esto
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.
Valorado por categoría—se vuelve a verificar cada 365 días
Fuente oficial
- Datos a fecha de
- 1 ene 2026
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Notas
- 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.
03Internet speeda nivel de país15,9Mbps, median fixed download0.7
Qué mide esto
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.
Cuanto más alto, mejorMbps, median fixed downloadse vuelve a verificar cada 365 días
Datos abiertos
M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Thailand (2024)
- Datos a fecha de
- 31 dic 2024
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Notas
- 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.
08
Sanidad
Lo que cuesta un seguro médico privado completo.
01Private healthcare costa nivel de país1300USD/year, comprehensive private insurance premium, healthy 35-year-old7.8
Qué mide esto
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.
Cuanto más bajo, mejorUSD/year, comprehensive private insurance premium, healthy 35-year-oldse vuelve a verificar cada 365 días
Recopilado por SettleMetric
- Datos a fecha de
- 4 jul 2026
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Método
- 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.
- Notas
- 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.
09
Dinero y cripto
Normas sobre cripto y con qué libertad se mueve el dinero personal.
01Crypto regulationa nivel de paísLegal friendly10.0
Qué mide esto
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.
Valorado por categoría—se vuelve a verificar cada 180 días
Fuente oficial
- Datos a fecha de
- 5 sept 2025
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Notas
- 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.
02Financial control levela nivel de paísModerate7.0
Qué mide esto
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.
Valorado por categoría—se vuelve a verificar cada 365 días
Fuente oficial
- Datos a fecha de
- 30 dic 2025
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Método
- 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.
10
Idioma
Hasta dónde llega el inglés en la vida diaria y en los trámites.
01English proficiencya nivel de paísLow2.0
Qué mide esto
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.
Valorado por categoría—se vuelve a verificar cada 730 días
Estudio
EF EPI 2025 — Thailand (rank 116/123, score 402, 'Very Low' band)
- Datos a fecha de
- 1 nov 2025
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Notas
- 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
Educación
Opciones de colegios internacionales para familias.
01International schools8accredited international schools, count6.9
Qué mide esto
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).
Cuanto más alto, mejoraccredited international schools, countse vuelve a verificar cada 730 días
Recopilado por SettleMetric
- Datos a fecha de
- 4 jul 2026
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Método
- 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.
- Notas
- ±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.
12
Demografía
Quién más vive aquí: el porcentaje de residentes extranjeros y las mayores comunidades nacionales, según estadísticas oficiales.
Openness to foreignersa nivel de paísPoca aceptaciónGallup MAI 2,48/9 · 2019
Qué mide esto
How accepting the resident population is of migrants and foreigners — the inverse of xenophobia, a real concern for someone relocating. Our own five-band reading (very-open / open / moderate / reserved / low) informed primarily by the Gallup Migrant Acceptance Index (0–9 scale: three questions on migrants living in the country, becoming neighbours, and marrying into the family; 2019 wave), cross-checked where available with the World Values Survey wave 7 / European Values Study 2017 question on whether people would not want immigrants or foreign workers as neighbours (a higher share = more hostile). Banding guide against the Gallup 0–9 score: ≥7.0 very-open, 5.5–7.0 open, 4.0–5.5 moderate, 2.5–4.0 reserved, below 2.5 low (the 2019 global average of 5.21 sits in 'moderate'). Country level only: no credible city-level survey of attitudes to foreigners exists, so on city pages the country reading is shown as country context. Gallup is a research source cited with attribution, not republished in bulk; the raw index score/year and any cross-check figure are carried inside each value. Value shape: { band, gallupMai?, gallupYear?, unwantedNeighborPct?, unwantedNeighborSource? }. Display-only: attitudinal, survey-based and ~2019 vintage, so it is shown as honest context and never folded into the composite score.
Datos de referencia—se vuelve a verificar cada 1825 días
Estudio
Gallup Migrant Acceptance Index, 2019 update (research, attribution)
- Datos a fecha de
- 23 sept 2020
- Verificado
- 15 jul 2026
- Notas
- Gallup MAI 2.48/9 (2019 wave, from 2.69 in 2016) — among the least-accepting countries; Thailand hosts large migrant-worker populations from neighbouring states with limited legal integration. Band: low.
Thai Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA) — civil registration population, 8 Jan 2025
Fuente oficial
- Datos a fecha de
- 8 ene 2025
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Notas
- DOPA civil-registration count: 997,549 non-Thai residents out of 65,951,210 total (8 Jan 2025) = 1.5%. This basis captures only people in the household-registration system and grossly undercounts the foreign presence: the UN/IOM Thailand Migration Report 2024 estimates ~5.3 million non-Thai nationals actually living/working in Thailand (including ~2.3M+ registered migrant workers from Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos and ~1.8M irregular migrants) — roughly 7–8% of residents. Two very different bases; the migrant-worker/estimate basis is stated in notes rather than recorded as the headline because it is an estimate, not a register count. To be refined per the demographics lesson (count people actually living there, label the basis).
Mayores comunidades de la población total5.300.000 total
UN Network on Migration / IOM — Thailand Migration Report 2024
Estudio
- Datos a fecha de
- 31 dic 2024
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Notas
- Of the estimated ~5.3M non-Thai nationals living/working in Thailand, the overwhelming majority are labor migrants from three neighbours — Myanmar (largest by far), Cambodia and Laos — followed by a growing Chinese community; Western expats, Indians and Japanese are much smaller. Per-citizenship counts are omitted (value null-in-spirit): Thailand does not publish a single clean foreign-resident-by-citizenship register — figures come from separate work-permit, migrant-registration and irregular-migration estimates on inconsistent bases, so exact counts/shares would be fabricated if stated. Basis = total-population estimate (labor migration), not a residence-permit register. To be refined when a consistent official by-nationality series is located.
01Myanmar
02Cambodia
03Laos
04China
Of the estimated ~5.3M non-Thai nationals living/working in Thailand, the overwhelming majority are labor migrants from three neighbours — Myanmar (largest by far), Cambodia and Laos — followed by a growing Chinese community; Western expats, Indians and Japanese are much smaller. Per-citizenship counts are omitted (value null-in-spirit): Thailand does not publish a single clean foreign-resident-by-citizenship register — figures come from separate work-permit, migrant-registration and irregular-migration estimates on inconsistent bases, so exact counts/shares would be fabricated if stated. Basis = total-population estimate (labor migration), not a residence-permit register. To be refined when a consistent official by-nationality series is located.
13
Cómo puedes quedarte
Cómo puedes entrar y quedarte legalmente. Se aplican en todo Thailand.
Todos los requisitos y filtro por nacionalidad- 01Destination Thailand Visa (DTV)Visado de nómada digitalTodas las nacionalidadesingresos ≥ 500.000 THB/yearApply online before travel via the Thai e-Visa portal (thaievisa.go.th) — cannot be applied for from inside Thailand5 años +
- 02Long-Term Resident (LTR) visa — Work-from-Thailand ProfessionalPrograma especialTodas las nacionalidadesingresos ≥ 80.000 USD/yearEmployment contract with a qualifying overseas employer: a publicly-listed company, or a private company operating for 3+ years with combined revenue of at least USD 50 million over the last 3 years, or a comparable subsidiary10 años +
- 03Long-Term Resident (LTR) visa — Highly-Skilled ProfessionalPrograma especialTodas las nacionalidadesingresos ≥ 80.000 USD/yearEmployment or a service contract with a Thai or foreign entity working in a BOI-targeted industry (or a Thai higher-education / research / specialised training institution, or a Thai government agency)10 años +
- 04Non-Immigrant Visa 'B' (business / work)Visado de negociosTodas las nacionalidadesJob offer or business purpose in Thailand; for employment a Thai employer and a work permit (issued after entry) are required3 meses +→ vía a la residencia permanente
- 05Visa exemption (60-day tourism / business visit)Estancia sin visadoUS citizens, UK citizens, EU citizens, Russian citizens, Ukrainian citizensPassport of one of the 93 countries/territories on the MFA visa-exemption list (includes the US, UK, all EU states, Russia, Ukraine and many others)2 meses
14
Lo que pagarías en impuestos
Los regímenes fiscales entre los que puede elegir un autónomo. Las normas son nacionales: las mismas en todo Thailand.
Regímenes completos y calculadora- 01LTR visa — Work-from-Thailand Professional (foreign income exempt)0% of revenue0.0%de carga con 60 000 €
- 02Personal income tax — business income (Section 40(8), 60% standard deduction)60% of revenue + progressive on profit (allowance 60,000): 0% up to 150,000, 5% up to 300,000, 10% up to 500,000, 15% up to 750,000, 20% up to 1,000,000, 25% up to 2,000,000, 30% up to 4,000,000, 35% above3.7%de carga con 60 000 €
- 03Personal income tax — service fees (Section 40(2), 50% deduction capped 100,000 THB)50% of revenue + progressive on profit (allowance 60,000): 0% up to 150,000, 5% up to 300,000, 10% up to 500,000, 15% up to 750,000, 20% up to 1,000,000, 25% up to 2,000,000, 30% up to 4,000,000, 35% above17.6%de carga con 60 000 €
Mira cuánto te quedaría
Tus ingresos frente a los regímenes fiscales reales de Thailand, con el mismo motor que la calculadora completa.
- 1 LTR visa — Work-from-Thailand Professional (foreign income exempt)60.000 EURneto/año0.0 % de carga
- 2 Personal income tax — business income (Section 40(8), 60% standard deduction)57.754 EURneto/año3.7 % de carga
- 3 Personal income tax — service fees (Section 40(2), 50% deduction capped 100,000 THB)49.452 EURneto/año17.6 % de carga
15
¿Para quién es Chiang Mai?
El mismo lugar se lee distinto según por qué te mudes. Cada perspectiva reúne los datos que más importan para ese plan, con sus fuentes y las contrapartidas dichas sin rodeos.
Contrato o trabajo por cuenta propia en tecnología, facturando a clientes de fuera.
Juega a tu favor
Freelancer tax burden3,7%
SettleMetric tax engine over official Thai Revenue Department rules (rd.go.th)
Recopilado por SettleMetric
- Datos a fecha de
- 1 ene 2024
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Método
- 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.
Cost of living (single, excl. rent)$560/mo
Recopilado por SettleMetric
- Datos a fecha de
- 31 mar 2025
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Método
- 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.
- Notas
- 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).
Domestic delivery qualityGood
Recopilado por SettleMetric
- Datos a fecha de
- 4 jul 2026
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Método
- 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.
A lo que estar atento
Internet speed16 Mbps
M-Lab NDT country aggregates for Thailand (2024)
Datos abiertos
- Datos a fecha de
- 31 dic 2024
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Notas
- 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.
English proficiencyLow
EF EPI 2025 — Thailand (rank 116/123, score 402, 'Very Low' band)
Estudio
- Datos a fecha de
- 1 nov 2025
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Notas
- 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.
Mudarse con pareja e hijos en edad escolar.
Juega a tu favor
International schools8
Recopilado por SettleMetric
- Datos a fecha de
- 4 jul 2026
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Método
- 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.
- Notas
- ±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.
Homicide rate1,84/100k
UNODC via World Bank (Intentional homicides, VC.IHR.PSRC.P5) — republished by Our World in Data
Datos abiertos
- Datos a fecha de
- 31 dic 2021
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Notas
- 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.
Private healthcare cost$1300/yr
Recopilado por SettleMetric
- Datos a fecha de
- 4 jul 2026
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Método
- 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.
- Notas
- 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.
A lo que estar atento
Air quality (PM2.5)32,3 µg/m³
IQAir World Air Quality Report — Chiang Mai city annual mean (compiled from ground monitoring)
Estudio
- Datos a fecha de
- 31 dic 2019
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Método
- 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.
- Notas
- 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.
Optimizar impuestos, banca y normas sobre cripto.
Juega a tu favor
Crypto regulationLegal friendly
Fuente oficial
- Datos a fecha de
- 5 sept 2025
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Notas
- 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.
Financial control levelModerate
Fuente oficial
- Datos a fecha de
- 30 dic 2025
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Método
- 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.
Freelancer tax burden3,7%
SettleMetric tax engine over official Thai Revenue Department rules (rd.go.th)
Recopilado por SettleMetric
- Datos a fecha de
- 1 ene 2024
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Método
- 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.
Priorizar la seguridad, el aire y una vida diaria sencilla.
Juega a tu favor
Homicide rate1,84/100k
UNODC via World Bank (Intentional homicides, VC.IHR.PSRC.P5) — republished by Our World in Data
Datos abiertos
- Datos a fecha de
- 31 dic 2021
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Notas
- 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.
Cost of living (single, excl. rent)$560/mo
Recopilado por SettleMetric
- Datos a fecha de
- 31 mar 2025
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Método
- 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.
- Notas
- 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).
A lo que estar atento
Air quality (PM2.5)32,3 µg/m³
IQAir World Air Quality Report — Chiang Mai city annual mean (compiled from ground monitoring)
Estudio
- Datos a fecha de
- 31 dic 2019
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Método
- 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.
- Notas
- 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.
Climate comfort0/12 mo
SettleMetric computation over climate-normals
Recopilado por SettleMetric
- Datos a fecha de
- 31 dic 2020
- Verificado
- 4 jul 2026
- Método
- 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.
- Notas
- 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.
16
Comparar Chiang Mai
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