---
title: "Chiang Mai vs Kandy for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/chiang-mai-vs-kandy
description: "Under balanced weights Kandy edges it, 61 to 57, winning 6 of the 9 factors. Chiang Mai is stronger on internet; Kandy on getting there & around, safety. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.10.7 (2026-10-13)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Chiang Mai vs Kandy for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Kandy edges it, 61 to 57, winning 6 of the 9 factors. Chiang Mai is stronger on internet; Kandy on getting there & around, safety. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

## Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)

| Metric | Chiang Mai | Kandy | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 61 | 70 | Kandy |
| Safety | 51 | 63 | Kandy |
| Healthcare | 76 | 72 | Chiang Mai |
| Internet | 66 | 56 | Chiang Mai |
| Visa ease | 58 | 64 | Kandy |
| Getting there & around | 38 | 55 | Kandy |
| Climate | 58 | 58 | tie |
| Air quality | 52 | 60 | Kandy |
| Quality of life | 49 | 52 | Kandy |

## Cost

| Metric | Chiang Mai | Kandy | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $984 | $768 | Kandy |
| Central one-bedroom rent | $417 | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Chiang Mai | Kandy | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 4.4 | 2.51 | Kandy |
| Political stability (0–100) | 55.8 | 64.9 | Kandy |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 82 | 72 | Chiang Mai |
| Life expectancy | 75.3 yrs | 77.2 yrs | Kandy |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Chiang Mai | Kandy | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 28 Mbps | 16.1 Mbps | Chiang Mai |
| Upload | 16.5 Mbps | 10.2 Mbps | Chiang Mai |

## Visa

| Metric | Chiang Mai | Kandy | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) | Digital nomad visa | tie |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | $2,000/mo | — |
| Entry, US passport | 30 days | visa on arrival | Kandy |
| Entry, EU passport | 30 days | visa on arrival | Kandy |
| Entry, UK passport | 30 days | visa on arrival | Kandy |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Chiang Mai | Kandy | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 28 | 55 | Kandy |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 3 | Kandy |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 1 | 2 | Kandy |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Chiang Mai | Kandy | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 7 | 7 | tie |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 26.5 µg/m³ | 22.8 µg/m³ | Kandy |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Chiang Mai or Kandy?

Kandy is cheaper: about $768 per month versus $984 for one person.

### Is Chiang Mai or Kandy safer?

Kandy scores higher on safety (63 vs 51), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Chiang Mai or Kandy?

Chiang Mai: a measured median of 28 Mbps versus 16.1 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Chiang Mai](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/chiang-mai) · [Kandy](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/kandy). Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Estimates of rates of homicides per 100 000 population; Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year); UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8); SatPM2.5 satellite-derived annual PM2.5 (V6.GL.02.04); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); Official entry rules that changed after the Passport Index snapshot; WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Nostos long-stay visa guides; Starlink availability map.

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/chiang-mai-vs-kandy