If you happen to seek for the most well-liked digital nomad places, Chiang Mai is bound to look on that listing. If you happen to don’t need to be immediately hooked, don’t look any additional—that is one place so intoxicating that you just’ll be planning your journey directly. There are numerous execs of dwelling in Chiang Mai; it’s no marvel that so many distant employees and vacationers alike flock there yr after yr.
Having spent a number of months dwelling in Chiang Mai myself, I’d love to return, and I completely will in some unspecified time in the future. It’s a sociable place, widespread with numerous different distant employees and pleasant locals. The professionals of dwelling in Chiang Mai far outweigh the negatives in my view, however it’s vital to learn about either side of the coin to make your personal knowledgeable choice earlier than taking the plunge.
15 Execs and Cons of Residing in Chiang Mai
For me, Chiang Mai is the jewel in Thailand’s crown. Sure, Thailand is an enormous nation with wonderful 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 Residing in Chiang Mai
As a result of I wish to concentrate on positivity earlier than the rest, let’s begin with some great benefits of dwelling in Chiang Mai. By the top of this listing, you’ll most likely 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
Indubitably, one of many greatest execs of dwelling in Chiang Mai is simply how simple it’s to fulfill different distant employees. In 2023, an enormous 3.9 million people handed by the doorways of Chiang Mai airport, with a good proportion of these certain to be digital nomads. Irrespective of while you go to, you’re assured to fulfill loads of different like-minded folks, which can make your keep a lot extra fulfilling.
I’ll speak about coworking spaces shortly, however most have common social evenings, with a concentrate on 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 pals whom I nonetheless keep up a correspondence with at the moment. Town presents many nice alternatives to collaborate, but when socializing is all you keep in mind, you actually gained’t wrestle to discover a new buddy or two.
2. Value-Effectiveness
Chiang Mai is a reasonably cost-effective place to remain over the long run. For instance, you possibly can often discover an condo within the metropolis heart and even stylish Nimman, for round 7800-14,000 THB ($220-$390) with utilities on high. If yow 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; if you need Western-style meals then you possibly can count on to pay extra. One among my favourite locations was the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar, the place it’s attainable to fill your self with avenue meals for a really small amount of money. Even espresso retailers are low-cost—yow will discover a cappuccino for round 55THB ($1.50), and these are nice locations to work from too.
3. Security
While you’re wanting on the execs and cons of dwelling in Chiang Mai, you’ll little doubt need to learn about security to start with. I can hand on coronary heart say that I by no means felt unsafe for even a second throughout my keep, at the same time as a solo feminine traveler. The truth is, a 2023 report said that Chiang Mai is the most secure metropolis to go to in Southeast Asia total.
After all, like some other metropolis on the earth, you shouldn’t take undue dangers, and customary sense ought to all the time be practiced. Total, nevertheless, Chiang Mai is taken into account a safe city to go to when it comes to low crime charges; supplying you with peace of thoughts when seeing the sights and going about your every day enterprise. Regardless of this, visitors is a wholly separate topic which I’ll speak about later.
4. Nice Web High quality & Coworking Areas
One other of the highest benefits of dwelling in Chiang Mai is the variety of coworking spaces and the standard of web out there. 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 intervals on-line.
There are some improbable coworking areas across the metropolis too—Yellow Coworking Space is one in all my high suggestions, however you’ll discover many dotted round. There are some low-cost choices to select from, resembling HeartWork, a coworking cafe that expenses a low price for using their web for a number of hours. Once more, these are nice locations to fulfill folks, community, and recharge on inspiration.
5. Pleasant Locals
You’ll discover a number of the friendliest folks on the earth in Chiang Mai and loads of locals who need to let you know about their traditions and customs. Whereas it may be difficult with the language barrier generally, it’s not one thing you possibly can’t overcome. I had many conversations with espresso store and meals stall house owners and even made some native pals.
Locals in Chiang Mai are very accustomed to worldwide guests, and I by no means felt something apart from totally welcome. So long as you do your finest to immerse your self within the conventional methods, you’ll meet folks from all walks of life. After all, you possibly can assist your self just a little by studying a number of phrases within the native language.
6. Excessive-High quality Healthcare
One of many greatest advantages of dwelling in Chiang Mai is the accessible, high-quality, and inexpensive healthcare. This needs to be one thing you concentrate on irrespective of the place on the earth you might be. In Chiang Mai, you’ll discover private and non-private hospitals, each of that are inexpensive in comparison with different international locations.
I needed to go to Ram Hospital in Chiang Mai after tripping and injuring my arm. I anticipated it to be an advanced course of, however it was fortunately tremendous simple, and there have been English-speaking employees. After all, ensure you have good medical insurance, and also you gained’t have any issues if a health-related subject occurs to come up.
7. Lots to See and Do
There are such a lot of things to see and do in Chiang Mai throughout your time without work. I questioned what I’d do in my spare time as town doesn’t have a seashore, however I shouldn’t have even questioned it—I used to be by no means bored for a second. I beloved strolling across the evening markets, and there are a number of: the Sunday Walking Market is vibrant and enjoyable and is all the time a very good possibility.
A day journey to Inthanon National Park is a must-do in addition to a tour around the temples within the metropolis, resembling Wat Umong. I additionally suggest a day journey to Sticky Waterfall, which is a superb approach to beat the warmth. If you happen to’re a nature lover, there are some nice climbing trails round, together with Huai Cho Reservoir Loop, which I actually loved.
8. Fantastic Climate
Heat climate is undoubtedly one of many execs of dwelling in Chiang Mai. Throughout the yr, the average temperature hardly ever dips under 22°C/71°F. August is the rainiest month, with the wet season stretching between Might and October. Throughout this time, there are numerous heavy showers, however they’re typically short-lived, and the climate usually clears up in a short time.
April and Might are the most popular 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 could possibly grow to be just a little 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 appreciated most about Chiang Mai is that though it’s very easy to search out residence comforts, it’s a very cultural place with a unique lifestyle. Simply strolling down the streets and seeing the superbly adorned temples and tuk-tuks passing by exhibits you that you just’re in nearly one other world. I’ve already talked about the evening markets, however these are an exquisite approach to simply immerse your self within the tradition.
Absorbing the native tradition is a superb thought, and by doing this, you’ll recognize your time in Thailand far more. Thai tradition is wealthy and straightforward to study; native folks will fortunately present you their traditions so long as you present respect always. I don’t assume I’ve skilled tradition in some other nation as a lot as I did right here, and it’s one in all many explanation why I need to return.
10. Wonderful Meals
One of many main advantages of dwelling in Chiang Mai is the meals, surely. It’s very simple to attempt native delicacies, and the native markets are a fantastic place to start out. Thai avenue meals is scrumptious and extremely low-cost, serving to you to maintain money in your pocket. I developed a severe love of Pad Thai in Chiang Mai and I grew to become far more adventurous with attempting new issues.
Khao Neow Ma Muang, or sticky rice and mango, is one in all my favourite dishes and it’s really easy to search out from avenue 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 check out one thing new.
Cons of Residing in Chiang Mai
Nowhere on the earth is 100% excellent, and there are some cons of dwelling in Chiang Mai you want to pay attention to. They’re not main deal breakers, at the very least not for me, however they’re issues that might have an effect on your keep in the event you’re not clued up beforehand.
1. Visas Can Be Tough to Get
One of many greatest disadvantages of dwelling in Chiang Mai is that getting a visa over the long run could be a problem. It’s certainly not not possible, however the necessities are a lot stricter than they was once and there’s a variety of paperwork concerned. Rules change typically so it’s vital to double-check earlier than you intend to journey to keep away from discovering your self in a difficult state of affairs.
Total, most individuals can visit Thailand for 60 days on a vacationer visa, however this varies in keeping with nationality so, once more, double-check. You’ll be able to then apply to increase this for an additional 30 days in the event you select to. To assist make your particular state of affairs just a little simpler to know, you possibly can enter your passport particulars into this site and discover out what your choices are.
2. Doable Language Barrier
Whilst you’ll discover English audio system round vacationer websites and in coworking areas, in the event you enterprise away from these areas you’ll probably expertise a slight barrier. I by no means bumped into too many issues, however I did have to make use of Google Translate a number of instances, which could be irritating, particularly in the event you’re looking for vital data otherwise you need assistance.
I made a decision to view this as a fantastic excuse to study a number of phrases of Thai. You don’t should be fluent to get by, however the fundamentals will serve you properly in the event you enterprise into rural areas otherwise you meet somebody who doesn’t communicate nice English. I discovered that talking even just some phrases made folks need to assist me study much more, and so they appeared to understand my makes an attempt, irrespective of how unhealthy!
3. Burning Season
For me, one of many greatest downsides of dwelling in Chiang Mai is the burning season. The truth is, many individuals both keep away from the world throughout this time or depart 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 quality is fairly poor, and it could possibly make even strolling round pretty tough. Some years are higher than others, however there’s a common haze over your complete metropolis between these months it doesn’t matter what. If you happen to’re somebody who suffers from respiratory points, resembling bronchial asthma, you would possibly need 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 number one on the listing of most harmful locations to drive in Thailand; It even beat Bangkok, which is kind of shocking in the event you’ve ever been to the capital. One of many cons of dwelling in Chiang Mai is attempting to navigate visitors, and in the event you select to drive, you’ll should be very cautious certainly. Even strolling could 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 visitors or drive at excessive pace. Personally, I most popular to get round by way of public transport, and I by no means discovered it tough to make use of; it actually works out cheaper than gasoline and gives a extra genuine expertise. I used the songthaew very often and I even made some pals on there.
5. Twin Pricing
Many individuals see this as one of many downsides to dwelling in Chiang Mai, however I personally don’t thoughts it an excessive amount of and might perceive why it occurs. Twin pricing signifies that as a foreigner, you’ll be charged extra for some points of interest than an area individual, and generally the distinction could be fairly important. I’ve seen twin pricing in lots of different international locations, however not as clearly as I skilled in Thailand.
It’s annoying, however what it’s important to bear in mind is that native wages are significantly lower than what most foreigners obtain and these costs mirror that. The excellent news is that this solely occurs on admission charges and also you gained’t see it on markets, public transport, or common every day purchases. It’s one of many belongings you merely have to just accept, however it’s a draw back all the identical.
Is Residing in Chiang Mai Value It?
Like anyplace else on the earth, there are execs and cons of dwelling in Chiang Mai. It’s manifestly apparent that my listing has way more execs than cons, and that’s not an accident. The complete expertise of dwelling in Chiang Mai was constructive sufficient for me to see these downsides as small annoyances reasonably than huge deal-breakers, aside from the visa subject.
As some of the widespread locations for digital nomads, Chiang Mai has one thing for everybody and delivers all of it with a cultural and genuine vibe. Generally it’s frenetic and loud, different instances it’s peaceable and chilled out—your complete metropolis is a contradiction in all the perfect methods attainable. It’s additionally the primary place to fulfill different folks, a few of whom could find yourself your finest pals for all times.
I can’t wait to return; when are you going?
