Thailand · The northern city
Chiang Mai sits in the northern hills, several hundred kilometres from any coast — a walled old city, a large university, temples, and the lowest cost of living of any Thai city foreigners settle in.
Condominium in and around the city, plus landed housing in the outer suburbs and the Mae Rim and Hang Dong valleys. Entry pricing is the lowest of any destination on this list by a clear margin.
Long-stay residents, remote workers and retirees on tighter budgets, drawn by cost of living rather than by a sea view. The buyer here is usually optimising for monthly outgoings.
Long-term letting to residents and students, with a seasonal layer of long-stay visitors escaping the northern winter. Yields on entry price can be reasonable; capital growth expectations should be modest.
Condominium freehold within quota works as elsewhere in Thailand, and because the city has a decent condominium supply, this is a workable route. Landed property in the valleys means lease or company structures.
Chiang Mai International handles regional traffic and domestic flights to Bangkok, but long-haul connections are limited compared with Bangkok or Phuket. Most arrivals from Europe or North America involve at least one change.
The burning season, roughly February to April, produces genuinely poor air quality most years. It is the single biggest practical drawback of living in Chiang Mai and it is routinely omitted from listings.
Thinking seriously about Chiang Mai?
Fifteen minutes, your actual budget, and an honest view on Chiang Mai — including the reasons against.
See if you qualify →It is an inland northern city with no coastal premium, a large local rental market and considerably lower entry pricing than Phuket, Samui or Bangkok.
A period of poor air quality caused by agricultural burning, roughly February to April each year. It is the main practical drawback of living in the city.
Condominium units can be held freehold within the building's foreign quota. Landed property in the surrounding valleys involves lease or company structures.
You will not find a development named or a price quoted here. That belongs in a private conversation where it can be set against what you can actually spend.