When you seek for the preferred digital nomad places, Chiang Mai is certain to look on that listing. When you don’t wish to be immediately hooked, don’t look any additional—that is one place so intoxicating that you simply’ll be planning your journey directly. There are numerous professionals of residing in Chiang Mai; it’s no surprise that so many distant employees and vacationers alike flock there 12 months after 12 months.
Having spent a number of months residing in Chiang Mai myself, I might love to return, and I completely will sooner or later. It’s a sociable place, in style with numerous different distant employees and pleasant locals. The professionals of residing in Chiang Mai far outweigh the negatives in my view, but it surely’s necessary to learn about each side of the coin to make your personal knowledgeable determination earlier than taking the plunge.
15 Execs and Cons of Dwelling in Chiang Mai
For me, Chiang Mai is the jewel in Thailand’s crown. Sure, Thailand is an enormous nation with superb seashores, like Koh Samui and Phuket, and the vibrancy of Bangkok is unbeaten, however there’s nothing fairly like on a regular basis life within the northern metropolis of Chiang Mai. It has its challenges, in addition to its main benefits, and having skilled most that Chiang Mai has to supply, I really feel fairly well-informed that can assist you out.
Execs of Dwelling in Chiang Mai
As a result of I prefer to deal with positivity earlier than anything, let’s begin with the benefits of residing in Chiang Mai. By the tip of this listing, you’ll in all probability have one foot on the airplane and be planning your first few days within the metropolis.
1. A Nice Place to Meet Different Digital Nomads
Surely, one of many greatest professionals of residing in Chiang Mai is simply how straightforward it’s to satisfy different distant employees. In 2023, an enormous 3.9 million folks handed by means of the doorways of Chiang Mai airport, with an honest proportion of these certain to be digital nomads. Irrespective of while you go to, you’re assured to satisfy loads of different like-minded folks, which can make your keep a lot extra pleasant.
I’ll discuss coworking areas shortly, however most have common social evenings, with a deal with bringing folks collectively—the identical goes for hostels across the metropolis. It’s really easy to mingle in Chiang Mai, and I met many new associates whom I nonetheless be in contact with immediately. Town presents many nice alternatives to collaborate, but when socializing is all you keep in mind, you actually received’t battle to discover a new buddy or two.
2. Value-Effectiveness
Chiang Mai is a fairly cost-effective place to remain over the long run. For instance, you may normally discover an house within the metropolis middle and even fashionable Nimman, for round 7800-14,000 THB ($220-$390) with utilities on high. If you will discover a coliving house or just share with one other distant employee, you’ll save much more on lodging.
It’s low cost to eat out too, so long as you keep on with native meals; in order for you Western-style meals then you may anticipate to pay extra. One in all my favourite locations was the Chiang Mai Evening Bazaar, the place it’s attainable to fill your self with road meals for a really small amount of money. Even espresso retailers are low cost—you will discover a cappuccino for round 55THB ($1.50), and these are nice locations to work from too.
3. Security
If you’re wanting on the professionals and cons of residing in Chiang Mai, you’ll little question wish to learn about security initially. I can hand on coronary heart say that I by no means felt unsafe for even a second throughout my keep, whilst a solo feminine traveler. In reality, a 2023 report said that Chiang Mai is the most secure metropolis to go to in Southeast Asia total.
In fact, like every other metropolis on the planet, you shouldn’t take undue dangers, and customary sense ought to all the time be practiced. General, nevertheless, Chiang Mai is taken into account a secure metropolis to go to when it comes to low crime charges; providing you with peace of thoughts when seeing the sights and going about your day by day enterprise. Regardless of this, site visitors is a wholly separate topic which I’ll discuss later.
4. Nice Web High quality & Coworking Areas
One other of the highest benefits of residing in Chiang Mai is the variety of coworking areas and the standard of web obtainable. In line with Speedtest, the common add and obtain speeds in Chiang Mai are 169.21 and 198.03 Mbps respectively. I by no means struggled with the web connection as soon as, together with video calls and lengthy durations on-line.
There are some implausible coworking areas across the metropolis too—Yellow Coworking House is one among my high suggestions, however you’ll discover many dotted round. There are some low-cost choices to select from, similar to HeartWork, a coworking cafe that prices a low price for using their web for a couple of hours. Once more, these are nice locations to satisfy folks, community, and recharge on inspiration.
5. Pleasant Locals
You’ll discover among the friendliest folks on the planet in Chiang Mai and loads of locals who wish to inform you about their traditions and customs. Whereas it may be difficult with the language barrier generally, it’s not one thing you may’t overcome. I had many conversations with espresso store and meals stall house owners and even made some native associates.
Locals in Chiang Mai are very accustomed to worldwide guests, and I by no means felt something apart from solely welcome. So long as you do your greatest to immerse your self within the conventional methods, you’ll meet folks from all walks of life. In fact, you may assist your self somewhat by studying a couple of phrases within the native language.
6. Excessive-High quality Healthcare
One of many greatest advantages of residing in Chiang Mai is the accessible, high-quality, and reasonably priced healthcare. This must be one thing you concentrate on regardless of the place on the planet you might be. In Chiang Mai, you’ll discover private and non-private hospitals, each of that are reasonably priced in comparison with different nations.
I needed to go to Ram Hospital in Chiang Mai after tripping and injuring my arm. I anticipated it to be a sophisticated course of, but it surely was fortunately tremendous straightforward, and there have been English-speaking employees. In fact, ensure you have good medical insurance, and also you received’t have any issues if a health-related subject occurs to come up.
7. Loads to See and Do
There are such a lot of issues to see and do in Chiang Mai throughout your day without work. I puzzled what I might do in my spare time as town doesn’t have a seaside, however I shouldn’t have even questioned it—I used to be by no means bored for a second. I cherished strolling across the evening markets, and there are a number of: the Sunday Strolling Market is vibrant and enjoyable and is all the time a very good possibility.
A day journey to Inthanon Nationwide Park is a must-do in addition to a tour across the temples within the metropolis, similar to Wat Umong. I additionally suggest a day journey to Sticky Waterfall, which is a superb approach to beat the warmth. When you’re a nature lover, there are some nice mountain climbing trails round, together with Huai Cho Reservoir Loop, which I actually loved.
8. Fantastic Climate
Heat climate is undoubtedly one of many professionals of residing in Chiang Mai. Throughout the 12 months, the common temperature not often dips under 22°C/71°F. August is the rainiest month, with the wet season stretching between Could and October. Throughout this time, there are a lot of heavy showers, however they’re typically short-lived, and the climate usually clears up in a short time.
April and Could are the most well liked months, with common highs of 30°C/86°F, and fortunately, most locations have air-con and loads of followers! Throughout the wet season, it might turn out to be somewhat humid, however I didn’t really feel it was too overwhelming. Waking as much as the solar most days is certainly a plus and one of many main pulls towards Chiang Mai.
9. A Cultural Place to Discover
The factor I preferred most about Chiang Mai is that though it’s very easy to search out dwelling comforts, it’s a very cultural place with a special lifestyle. Simply strolling down the streets and seeing the superbly embellished temples and tuk-tuks passing by exhibits you that you simply’re in virtually one other world. I’ve already talked about the evening markets, however these are a beautiful approach to simply immerse your self within the tradition.
Absorbing the native tradition is a good concept, and by doing this, you’ll admire your time in Thailand far more. Thai tradition is wealthy and straightforward to find out about; native folks will fortunately present you their traditions so long as you present respect always. I don’t suppose I’ve skilled tradition in every other nation as a lot as I did right here, and it’s one among many the reason why I wish to return.
10. Wonderful Meals
One of many main advantages of residing in Chiang Mai is the meals, for sure. It’s very straightforward to strive native delicacies, and the native markets are an amazing place to begin. Thai road meals is scrumptious and extremely low cost, serving to you to maintain money in your pocket. I developed a critical love of Pad Thai in Chiang Mai and I turned far more adventurous with attempting new issues.
Khao Neow Ma Muang, or sticky rice and mango, is one among my favourite dishes and it’s really easy to search out from road distributors. Thai meals can also be actually wholesome and made with the freshest produce. I took a cookery class, and I discovered a lot about native delicacies; I’d extremely suggest it if you wish to throw your self into native life and take a look at one thing new.
Cons of Dwelling in Chiang Mai
Nowhere on the planet is 100% excellent, and there are some cons of residing in Chiang Mai you want to concentrate on. They’re not main deal breakers, a minimum of not for me, however they’re issues that would have an effect on your keep for those who’re not clued up beforehand.
1. Visas Can Be Tough to Get
One of many greatest disadvantages of residing in Chiang Mai is that getting a visa over the long run is usually a problem. It’s not at all unimaginable, however the necessities are a lot stricter than they was once and there’s numerous paperwork concerned. Laws change typically so it’s necessary to double-check earlier than you intend to journey to keep away from discovering your self in a difficult state of affairs.
General, most individuals can go to Thailand for 60 days on a vacationer visa, however this varies in line with nationality so, once more, double-check. You may then apply to increase this for one more 30 days for those who select to. To assist make your particular state of affairs somewhat simpler to grasp, you may enter your passport particulars into this web site and discover out what your choices are.
2. Attainable Language Barrier
When you’ll discover English audio system round vacationer websites and in coworking areas, for those who enterprise away from these areas you’ll doubtless expertise a slight barrier. I by no means bumped into too many issues, however I did have to make use of Google Translate a couple of instances, which might be irritating, particularly for those who’re looking for necessary data otherwise you need assistance.
I made a decision to view this as an amazing excuse to be taught a couple of phrases of Thai. You don’t have to be fluent to get by, however the fundamentals will serve you properly for those who enterprise into rural areas otherwise you meet somebody who doesn’t converse nice English. I discovered that talking even only a few phrases made folks wish to assist me be taught much more, and so they appeared to understand my makes an attempt, regardless of how dangerous!
3. Burning Season
For me, one of many greatest downsides of residing in Chiang Mai is the burning season. In reality, many individuals both keep away from the world throughout this time or go away and return as soon as it’s over. Burning season occurs between January and April throughout a lot of northern Thailand, when farmers burn their fields to prepare for the subsequent rising season and harvest.
Throughout this time, air high quality is fairly poor, and it might make even strolling round pretty tough. Some years are higher than others, however there’s a common haze over your entire metropolis between these months it doesn’t matter what. When you’re somebody who suffers from respiratory points, similar to bronchial asthma, you may wish to keep away from these months and go to when it’s over.
4. Site visitors
It’s no shock that in 2019, Chiang Mai ranked as primary on the listing of most harmful locations to drive in Thailand; It even beat Bangkok, which is sort of stunning for those who’ve ever been to the capital. One of many cons of residing in Chiang Mai is attempting to navigate site visitors, and for those who select to drive, you’ll have to be very cautious certainly. Even strolling might be perilous as there are only a few respectable sidewalks.
Chiang Mai’s roads are famously congested, and many individuals driving scooters weave out and in of the site visitors or drive at excessive pace. Personally, I most well-liked to get round through public transport, and I by no means discovered it tough to make use of; it definitely works out cheaper than fuel and supplies a extra genuine expertise. I used the songthaew very often and I even made some associates on there.
5. Twin Pricing
Many individuals see this as one of many downsides to residing in Chiang Mai, however I personally don’t thoughts it an excessive amount of and may perceive why it occurs. Twin pricing signifies that as a foreigner, you’ll be charged extra for some sights than an area particular person, and generally the distinction might be fairly important. I’ve seen twin pricing in lots of different nations, however not as clearly as I skilled in Thailand.
It’s annoying, however what you need to keep in mind is that native wages are significantly lower than what most foreigners obtain and these costs replicate that. The excellent news is that this solely occurs on admission charges and also you received’t see it on markets, public transport, or common day by day purchases. It’s one of many stuff you merely have to simply accept, but it surely’s a draw back all the identical.
Is Dwelling in Chiang Mai Value It?
Like anyplace else on the planet, there are professionals and cons of residing in Chiang Mai. It’s obviously apparent that my listing has way more professionals than cons, and that’s not an accident. The complete expertise of residing in Chiang Mai was optimistic sufficient for me to see these downsides as small annoyances slightly than huge deal-breakers, apart from the visa subject.
As probably the most in style locations for digital nomads, Chiang Mai has one thing for everybody and delivers all of it with a cultural and genuine vibe. Typically it’s frenetic and loud, different instances it’s peaceable and chilled out—your entire metropolis is a contradiction in all the very best methods attainable. It’s additionally the primary place to satisfy different folks, a few of whom could find yourself your greatest associates for all times.
I can’t wait to return; when are you going?