Chiang Mai · long stay
Your honest friend
in Chiang Mai.
43 buildings walked in person. Real rents, the bills nobody quotes you, and the gotchas a landlord will not mention.
Just arriving?
The one-page arrival brief — costs, areas, rates and red flags. Free PDF.
02Where should I live?
Every building we would live in, ranked, with ฿/sqm and all-in costs.
03How do I actually rent?
Deposits, contracts, negotiation and the red flags that cost people money.
Where we would live
Ranked by value against the neighbourhood, not by who is paying.
Nimman
D Condo Nim
You'll almost always find something available here because it's huge — 514 units. But that's also the catch: some units are nicely renovated, others look like 2016 never ended. Don't commit without seeing the exact unit. Best for people who want pool+gym at a low price and don't mind dealing with individual owners instead of a management office.
Read the full take →- 2
฿14kThe Mirror
Nimman · 40–70 sqm · ฿350/sqm
- 3
฿8kThe 51 Hometel
Old City · 25–50 sqm · ฿320/sqm
- 4
฿14kNivas Chiangmai
Nimman · 39–77 sqm · ฿346/sqm
- 5
฿14kThe Cosy Huay Kaew
Nimman · 35–35 sqm · ฿400/sqm
- 6
฿22kLiv@Nimman
Nimman · 43–88 sqm · ฿512/sqm
- 7
฿13kS Condominium
Nimman · 59–65 sqm · ฿220/sqm
- See all 43 buildings →
What it actually costs
Median monthly cost across our 43 buildings, split into the rent you are quoted and the bills you are not.
+฿2.4k bills · 19% of the total · cheapest ฿3.5k · 21 units
+฿2.4k bills · 15% of the total · cheapest ฿5.0k · 54 units
+฿2.4k bills · 12% of the total · cheapest ฿9.0k · 27 units
Bills land at a near-flat ฿2,400 whatever the size — mostly electricity, at 300 kWh a month with the AC on. So they take 19% off the top of a studio but only 12% of a two-bed. The cheaper the unit, the more the bills matter.
Full cost breakdown →Pick a neighbourhood
The two areas we know well enough to have opinions about.
Nimman
27 buildingsThe digital nomad heartland. Cafes, co-working, and condos within walking distance of everything.
- Rent from
- ฿8.0k
- Median ฿/sqm
- ฿346
- With a pool
- 21/27
Old City
16 buildingsTemples, night markets, and affordable living inside the ancient moat. Quieter pace, rich culture.
- Rent from
- ฿3.5k
- Median ฿/sqm
- ฿291
- With a pool
- 12/16
“The only Palm Springs building with 2BR units. If you're a couple or need a proper home office setup, this is the one to ask about. 2BR at 18-22k with a pool is hard to beat in Nimman. Availability is tighter here than the other four buildings.”
Shashank Jha on Palm Springs Royal
The rest of the field guide
In-depth guides
Can You Buy Property in Chiang Mai?
Short answer: condos yes, land no. Here's how it actually works and what to watch for.
Shashank Jha · 6 min
What Does It Actually Cost to Live in Chiang Mai?
Real numbers from someone who lives here. Rent, food, transport, healthcare — the full breakdown.
Shashank Jha · 6 min
Getting Around Chiang Mai — Scooters, Grab, and Everything Else
Do you need a scooter? How does Grab work here? Can you walk everywhere in Nimman? Honest answers.
Shashank Jha · 7 min
Healthcare in Chiang Mai — What Expats Need to Know
Hospitals, dentists, insurance, and what happens when you get sick far from home.
Shashank Jha · 7 min