Chiang Mai: the vibe
Videos from people who went, played right here, with what viewers said underneath. Not part of the score.
The verdict
Liked · 76Commenters who have lived there overwhelmingly praise Chiang Mai's low cost, friendliness and coffee scene, with the main caveat being unclear internet speed and time-zone friction for remote work.
- low cost of living
- friendly locals
- coffee shops
- easy to navigate
- good accommodation outside old city
- internet speed unclear
- night shifts for Western clients
- rent higher than some expect
- Very affordable, especially outside the old city
- Great for coffee lovers and remote workers
- Internet speed is the key unanswered question
- Working for Western clients means late-night shifts
- Costs stay low if you avoid luxury living
Read from 8 videos, 40 comments and 0 posts on 2026-11-07; the summary is written by a language model and can misread sarcasm.
Living in Chiang Mai for $700 | Real Expat Life
Nomad Nest · 596K views · 2026
What viewers said
“A lot of you ask me about health insurance when moving abroad. This is what I personally use, and what many long-term expats rely on 👇 https://safetywing.com/nomad-insurance/?referenceID=26458203&utm_source=26458203&utm_medium=Ambassador C”
♥ 14 likes
“I retired to Thailand in 2013, taught English in Phitsanulok for roughly a year, then moved to Chiang Mai. I lived there for just under two years and absolutely love the city. So affordable, so easy to navigate, so friendly, and all of the ”
♥ 105 likes
“I was just twice in Chiang Mai. Around 30 years ago. I attended a 10 days thai massage school once. I remember cycling in the traffic early morning jam to reach the temple where about 30 farangs were studying the subjet. Full immersion: 8 h”
♥ 62 likes
“By far, the best Thai expat video I've seen. Concise and filled with valuable info and hacks. Thanks. I thoroughly enjoyed this video and subscribed.”
♥ 58 likes
“DUDE. I swear im not a paid actor, but I got overwhelmed looking for an in-depth no BS kinda video, and this one like check all boxes !!! u the GOAT, pray for my DTV to get accepted next year Edit: lol also ty for indirectly including the m”
♥ 22 likes
“Funny to hear that it has “only” 1,2 million inhabitants. I loved it in 1986 when it had less than 150.000 😅”
♥ 9 likes
“I live in San Khamphaeng, a village just outside of Chiang Mai. The prices out here are even cheaper and this sort of budget goes even further again. Don’t be scared to look outside the old city as the accommodation is good, food just as go”
♥ 13 likes
“I appreciate the fact that you use local currency instead of the overly dollarized prices most influencers use”
♥ 5 likes
“It’s so cheap that it’s well worth retiring there”
♥ 20 likes
“Don’t forget that Chiang Mai has several disc golf courses!”
♥ 5 likes
Found with a YouTube search for the city and “digital nomad”, fetched 2026-11-07; titles, descriptions and comments belong to their authors and link to the originals.