Digital Nomad in Chiang Mai: how to find an apartment

Chiang Mai is an ideal base in Asia for settling down a bit, whether you’re on a trip around the world, a digital nomad, or simply a traveler wanting to take a break. It was in this second configuration that we settled in northern Thailand for 5 months! Before departing, many people around us were worried about seeing us set off once again on an adventure without making plans, but also and especially, without booking accommodation for the months ahead. If we decided to leave this way, it’s not to give our loved ones cold sweats, but because we knew we would find the best accommodation this way. In this article, we will give you our advice on finding and renting an apartment in Chiang Mai, whether it is for 1 month or several months. Here we go!

Why rent an apartment in Chiang Mai?

Many people ask us why we chose Chiang Mai to put our backpacks for a few months. So, we will try to explain the different reasons that led us to this choice.

The cost of living

The cost of living in Chiang Mai is very low while offering good comfort. We go into our monthly budget in detail in the article, but we manage to live here as a couple for 1000 euros per month without depriving ourselves!

The climate

We arrived in winter, and winter in Thailand means little to no rain and temperatures ranging from 20 to 26°C during the day and slightly cooler at night.

The infrastructure

In Chiang Mai, there are more than 33,000 furnished apartments on the market and, essentially, we have access to fiber optic internet.

The heart of Northern Thailand

During our RTW trip, we had quite extensively explored Bangkok but had virtually skipped northern Thailand. Being based in Chiang Mai allows us to venture around the city, especially to visit Chiang Rai or travel the Mae Hong Son loop by motorbike. Whether it’s for a day or over several days, there’s no shortage of options!

Thai food

In Thailand, the food is good, that’s well known! Well, let me tell you that it’s in the north where you eat the best!

A great community of digital nomads

It’s the meeting point for people who work online, and numerous events are organized in this spirit. Meals, parties, conferences, workshops… In Chiang Mai, activities organized by the large digital nomad community are held every day!

Northern Thais

In the south, you might hear that people from the north are slow and lazy. But no, they’re simply more chill! What does that mean? It means that here, Thai people are super welcoming and smiling, scams or incessant negotiations are rare. Obviously, you have to negotiate your tuk-tuk or your T-shirt in the tourist center, but elsewhere and in local markets, we never had the feeling of really being ripped off!

Where to live in Chiang Mai?

Chiang Mai is relatively large and there are several neighborhoods that are very nice to live in. Of course, you’ll find apartments and houses for rent all over Chiang Mai and its surroundings, whether for a short stay or a long duration. Here’s a map with the neighborhoods in Chiang Mai that most travelers and expatriates prefer to live in.

The old town

The nerve center of the city, this is where the majority of backpackers and cheap accommodations are located, as well as numerous bars, restaurants, and shops. However, it’s also the most touristy area! As a result, it’s not necessarily the first choice for settling in for a longer period. Furnished apartments are rather rare here. Instead, you’ll find hotel rooms equipped with a fridge that are rented for a long period. In short, living in the old town of Chiang Mai isn’t ideal in our opinion.

Nimman (or Nimmanhaemin)

Nimman is THE new trendy, somewhat hipster neighborhood! Unlike the old town, you don’t come across many backpackers with elephant pants and BeerLao tank tops. Here, it’s more the corner of meticulously trimmed beards and ice latte drinkers!

Plenty of flats, hundreds of art and designer boutiques, trendy cafes and restaurants, coworking spaces, pulsating wifi, and good coffee on every street corner make it a bit of a paradise for digital nomads in Chiang Mai. You guessed it, it’s in this neighborhood that we lived these 5 months!

Lang Mor

Lang Mor is the extension of Nimman that’s developing at high speed, in addition to being the university and youth district par excellence. In short, it’s a bit like Nimman, but with more affordable rents. However, it’s a bit further from the old town.

Santitham

Santitham is a very popular neighborhood, we’re ultimately very close to Nimman as well as the old town, while having the possibility of finding more affordable apartments. New constructions are popping up like mushrooms in the area. It’s a safe bet that, in very little time, this neighborhood will have as many bars and restaurants as Nimman.

Night Market

As its name indicates, this is where the famous night market of Chiang Mai is held. In terms of accommodation, it’s not so much apartments that dominate, but rather small boutique hotels and charming hostels.

Ultimately, it’s a nice neighborhood to stay for a few nights if you’re passing through the city during your vacation, but probably not the first choice for those looking for long-term accommodation.

Riverside

In Riverside, this is the outright luxury version! Waterfront accommodations are mostly 5-star hotels, so needless to say, this isn’t the neighborhood we considered setting down our backpacks. Nevertheless, it’s a very sought-after area in Chiang Mai for renting high-end apartments for larger budgets. But we didn’t go there to visit, you won’t hold it against us, right?

How much does renting an apartment in Chiang Mai cost?

It’s difficult to give a price for an apartment in Chiang Mai. Honestly, it’s more up to you to provide a budget!

Here, you can find accommodation for a rent of 2000 baht per month (about fifty euros), just as you find luxury apartments at 40,000 baht per month (about 1000 euros). Between these two extremes, absolutely everything is possible!

The price of long-term rentals depends on several factors:

• The location: Buildings close to the river, in the Night Market and Nimman neighborhoods are generally more expensive than those found in other sectors.
• The size of the apartment and the number of rooms.
• The kitchen: In Thailand, many apartments only have a refrigerator. If you want to have a real equipped kitchen, you’ll certainly have to count a bit more.
• The furniture: Modern and matching or old and completely mismatched… There’s everything, and of course, this is reflected in the price.
• The building and its infrastructures: Between old, somewhat decrepit buildings where you enter freely and super modern buildings with security airlocks where you enter through fingerprints, there’s everything! Amenities such as the pool and fitness room generally translate to a higher rent.
• Length of lease: This seems logical, but the longer you stay, the less you’ll pay! Most buildings in Chiang Mai offer 3 price ranges depending on the duration: short rental (between 1 and 3 months), medium rental, and long rental (1-year contract). We can easily see a 20-30% gap in these rates.

If we generalize, here are the types of apartments you should be able to find for your budget and a rental period ranging from 1 to 5 months. As a reminder, 10 baht = 0.27 euro.

2000 baht

Ah, here, you’d better not be picky! At this price, it will probably be a very spartanly furnished room with a fan and, if you’re really lucky, a fridge.

4000 baht

For this rent, you’ll have a basic room of about 20 to 25 m² in an old building, without special infrastructure (security, pool, or fitness), but with a fridge and possibly air conditioning available (electricity costs extra) and hot water in the shower.

6000 baht

For this price, you’ll have a decent room of about 25 m². There are exceptions, but often this won’t include a pool or fitness (in our addresses below, we have only one apartment that proves the contrary, but that’s it). You can start hoping to have wifi and a bit more charm through furnishing and decor!

8000 baht

In Nimman or nearby, it remains a room, but with more character and often a semblance of a kitchen (at least some hotplates). In less sought-after neighborhoods, you can start hoping to find apartments with a separate bedroom. It’s possible to have a pool at these prices, but access will often be chargeable.

10,000 baht

These are the first prices for apartments with a separate bedroom and kitchen in Nimman, often with a swimming pool and fitness. Outside, you start to have access to really nice apartments with the same services.

Between 12,000 and 18,000 baht

You generally find better quality apartments and also entire houses starting from 12,000 baht. However, it should be noted that it’s more difficult to rent houses for short periods, and the rental contracts are generally annual.

What are the utility costs for apartments in Chiang Mai?

In Chiang Mai, you have to be careful: the rent for apartments will often not include utilities! You have to add to the rent the costs related to the use of water and electricity.

Water

Billing is based on your water consumption in m³. The price varies from one owner to another but is generally around 20-40 baht/m³. Generally, unless you have a pool or a garden with automatic irrigation, the water bill rarely exceeds 120 to 180 baht per month for 2 people living in 35-40m².

Electricity

The price per month also depends on your electricity consumption in kWh. This generally varies from 4 to 10 baht/kWh. Yes, yes, the difference is immense depending on the owners, hence the importance of paying attention to this point!

The biggest factor for electricity consumption will probably be air conditioning. Know that an air conditioner consumes roughly 1 kWh. I’ll let you do the calculation, but running an AC 24/7 comes to 3000 baht per month at the lowest market rate! Otherwise, a fan only consumes 60 Wh if ever.

To give you an idea, we consumed between 5 and 5.5 kWh per day. This corresponds to the consumption for 2 people in an apartment of about 40m² with a fridge and 2 computers plugged in permanently, a fan running about 18 hours (day and night), roughly 1 hour of AC distributed throughout the day and evening, and the daily use of light and ceramic hobs.

The deposit

Another fee not to forget when renting an apartment is the deposit! It’s generally one month’s rent to be deposited in cash at the reception and that you get back when you leave. Just remember to have enough reserves to advance this amount!

Our tips for finding an apartment

Well, that’s all fine, but it still doesn’t tell us where to find the ideal accommodation! See you at the end of the article, where we give you all the addresses of the apartments we visited with the appropriate map. Before that, we give you some advice on finding your rare gem.

Don’t book online and avoid rental agencies

There are several sites for finding furnished apartments in Chiang Mai. Even if they’re not fundamentally bad, booking online often equals paying more, and of course, you can’t see the property before signing. As much as in Europe, I wouldn’t rent an apartment based on photos, so in Thailand, even less!

The same goes for agencies. There are several, and some even offer you a service to visit several apartments in a day by car or tuk-tuk. If you’re in a hurry and don’t mind paying more for the same apartment, this can be an option.

Honestly, it’s so easy to find an apartment on your own that we could only recommend not booking anything in advance and seeing once you’re there!

The simplest way is to book 2-3 nights in a guesthouse or any other accommodation at the beginning of your stay in Chiang Mai to give yourself time to look for an apartment at your leisure. During our search, we stayed at the excellent Rimnim Hostel, which is a stone’s throw from the Maya shopping center and about ten minutes from the old town.

Find a wide choice of hotels and apartments on the map below:

Prepare a budget taking into account your lifestyle

The choice of apartments is really vast and the quality of infrastructure varies greatly. Obviously, we all have a certain budget and it’s important to stick to it. To determine your budget envelope, think about asking yourself certain questions:

• Is a studio enough for me or do I prefer having a separate bedroom? We spend a lot of time on computers and, being 2, it was important to have a workspace available at home. That has a price! If we hadn’t had a living room with a workspace, we probably would have spent much less time at home and would have gone to cafes every afternoon to work. Cafe means consumption… Knowing that an iced coffee sells for an average of 80-100 baht a piece, the calculation is quickly done!
• Does the flat have wifi? Same reasoning as above… Well, know that it’s possible to set up super-performing wifi for 700 baht per month. But take this point into account!

• Do you want to exercise or lounge by the pool? A fitness subscription costs about 1000-2000 baht per person per month. Access to the pool of a residence in which you don’t stay revolves around 100 to 180 baht. In short, it may be worth paying a slightly higher rent if these points are included and are important to you.
• Do you like to cook? Apartments with an equipped kitchen are often a bit more expensive. But if you like to cook, having a kitchen is also an excellent way to save money! Eating out in Thailand doesn’t cost much, I grant you, but going shopping at the local market and cooking your own dishes is even more advantageous.

Go explore your chosen neighborhood on foot

We had been recommended to take a motorbike to explore Chiang Mai, but we preferred to go on foot! We have much more time to look around without having to worry about the Thai road code at the same time. Sure, we covered nearly 25 km during our first day of visits, but nothing obliges you to visit as many apartments as we did.

Analyze the different prices according to the rental duration

Often, the rate becomes more advantageous from the moment you sign for 6 months. And sometimes, the landlords’ notion of mathematics is a bit surprising! For example, we visited an apartment where the rent was 6500 baht per month for a rental of 1 to 5 months. For 6 months, the rent dropped to 5000 baht.

In short, 5 months of rental thus came to 32,500 baht, while 6 months came to 30,000 baht! Hmm… Surprising but not rare, believe us! In short, if you think you’ll stay 5 months, consider the option of renting for 6 months and leaving the apartment empty for a month.

Another tip: if you’re asked how long you want to stay, tend to see things broadly. Landlords and managers tend to favor people who stay longer. You know you want to stay 3 months and not a day more? Don’t say 3 months, but 3 months minimum, maybe more…

Ask to see several rooms if possible

We noticed that, even if apartments may seem identical in a building, this is far from being the case. The view, equipment left by previous tenants like dishes and fans, or simply the layout of the rooms, can vary greatly!

For example, in the building where we were, we visited 3 flats at the same price! The one we chose has a great unobstructed view of the mountains as well as a table for working, while the other 2 looked onto the next building and had no table.

Ask well what the rates are for additional charges

Be sure to ask how much water and electricity are billed. As we said above, monthly fees vary by a factor of two, it’s really a point to take into account in the budget calculation. Moreover, some buildings charge for access to the pool or fitness in addition. If these points are important to you, be sure to inquire at the time of the visit.

A slightly higher rent but which charges the minimal price for utilities and allows free access to infrastructure can therefore be more advantageous!

Take the time to visit the apartments and test the infrastructure

In Thailand, the quality of apartments is very variable. Sometimes, the furniture and installations appear old but are of good quality. Sometimes, everything appears new and, looking more closely, you have the feeling of being in a cardboard house because everything is so cheap.

In short, open the drawers, turn on the water, and sit on the bed and sofa to test the hardness of the thing (some really give the impression of being on planks). Also check if the flat provides sheets, pillows, and duvets as well as dishes, a broom, a fan, etc. All these things can, of course, be bought later, but they are clearly to be taken into account in your budget calculation!

Our top recommendations for condos and apartments to visit in Chiang Mai

Given that we only visited apartments in the Nimman, Lang Mor, and Santitham districts, we’re going to focus on these 3 areas in the following section. Here’s a selection of addresses we visited in Chiang Mai with their location on the neighborhood map to help you find your way. The apartment numbers are based on price: the cheapest being no. 1 and the most expensive we visited being no. 17.

Huay Kaew Palace 1

This is the condo we chose in Chiang Mai during our 5-month stay. It’s the red pin on the map.

• 11 000 baht/month.
• The pros: We really liked the decor of the apartment and the layout of the space. It’s small but really well thought out. We have 2 separate workplaces and we also appreciate the location as well as the pool and fitness that are available. The fact that there’s a kitchen was a big plus for us too…
• The cons: The pool overlooks a parking lot on one side, not necessarily super glamorous… Some rooms look onto a ruined building, be sure to visit several.

Let’s move on to those we didn’t choose, but went to see:

1. Grand Living Residence

• 3500 baht/month with a supplement of 400 baht for the wifi.
• The pros: The price… And it’s clean!
• The cons: Sheets and duvets not provided… And let’s admit it, a decor a bit too outdated for our taste.

2. K Nimman

• 4500 baht/month.
• The pros: You don’t come here for the classy or nice side, but for the price. It’s minimalist and has everything you need!
• The cons: The rooms are relatively small, the largest must be 24m² and no workspace.

3. Hillcrest

• 5500 baht/month.
• The pros: The price for those traveling on a small budget and the room is spotless!
• The cons: The owner was boasting about the view of the canal. Well, let’s say it’s also the view of the main road, right?

4. Baan Horcome Condo

• 6000 baht/month.
• The pros: We strongly hesitated about this room! The price is just crazy for what’s offered. The room is spacious and equipped with a kitchen. The building has a swimming pool with a superb view of the mountain and a fitness room.
• The cons: It’s a studio, so no separate bedroom and the furniture is quite (or very) outdated.

5. Chomdoi 2 Condo

• 4000-11,000 baht/month.
• The pros: We visited 4 apartments here and, with such a price gap, let me tell you that the infrastructure varied greatly! In short, in this building, there’s a good chance you’ll have a wide choice of apartments for all budgets. In common spaces, there’s a pool and a gym.
• The cons: We found the building a bit gloomy.

6. Himnimman Residence

• 8000 baht/month for 1-3 months and 6500 baht/month beyond 3 months.
• The pros: The room is bright and clean. The furniture isn’t the latest, but it’s quite OK. The location is top: we’re a few steps from both Nimman and the old town. The gentleman at the reception was really adorable too.
• The cons: Only studios without a separate bedroom, it was a bit small for us.

7. Punna Residence

• 11,000 baht/month.
• The pros: Super spacious and well-arranged apartment with modern and light furniture. The pool and fitness are super too. We also appreciated the security of the building with access to the floors only by badge.
• The cons: Minimum contract of 6 months.

8. Green Hill Place

• 13,000 baht/month.
• The pros: The rooms are very decent, as are the pool and fitness.
• The cons: We’re not sure, we just didn’t fall in love, but it’s worth a visit!

9. Vieng Ping Condominium

• From 7000 baht/month.
• It was full at the time of our passage, so we couldn’t visit… But we know people who are there and they’re very happy with it.

10. Baan Thai Apartment

• From 7000 baht/month.
• It was full at the time of our passage, so we couldn’t visit… But we know people who are there and they’re very happy with it.

11. Punna Residence 5

• 12,000 baht/month (different prices for different apartments).
• The pros: Nice, spacious and well-arranged flat with modern and light furniture. The pool and fitness are super too. We also appreciated the security of the building, with access to the floors only by badge.
• The cons: Minimum contract of 6 months…

12. The Dome Residence

• 12,000 baht/month.
• The pros: The location is very good, we’re really close to both the old town and Nimman. The rooms are functional and arranged soberly. The apartment we visited had a separate bedroom, which was a big plus for us.
• The cons: For the price, we found the infrastructure and furniture a bit basic… The gym is tiny and there’s no pool.

13. Promt Condo

• 12,000 baht/month.
• The pros: Located just behind the Maya shopping center, the location is ideal! In addition to having a magnificent pool and a space for exercising, the rooms are decorated with a lot of taste and contain all the necessary equipment (kitchen utensils, dishes, sheets, etc.).
• The cons: The room was unfortunately too small for us (about 20 m²) for the space that served as bedroom, kitchen, and living room combined. The only room available at the time of our visit was on the first floor, which we didn’t find ideal.

14. Flora House

• 15,000 baht/month.
• The pros: The setting is absolutely great, the neighborhood and the building are really top! The separate kitchen with the living room space really pleased us!
• The cons: For the price, there’s neither pool nor fitness. So, it was a bit expensive for us. Moreover, the internet didn’t seem super fast, so we probably would have had to invest 700 baht per month for a private connection.

15. Stylish

• 18,000 baht/month.
• The pros: MAGNIFICENT! We almost hesitated to splurge… Nothing to say, this place is an insane standard for a super OK price (488 euros)! The pool and gym are state-of-the-art and the apartment is super well equipped: washing machine, microwave, pots, water heater, cleaning utensils, etc. In short, it’s with a heavy heart that we were reasonable for purely financial reasons.
• The cons: normally a 6-month contract (they were willing to give us the apartment for 5 months, but apparently not for less time). Ultimately, a bit expensive for us!

16. The Siri Condominium

• 19,000 baht/month.
• The pros: Frankly, the apartments here are super, bright, and well-equipped. The building is very well secured and the reception is nice! Given the choice, we would have rather taken the apartment above, but in the end, we stayed reasonable!
• The cons: Beyond our budget and minimum rental of 3 months.

17. Moda Condo

• 25,000 baht/month.
• The pros: There, it’s pure luxury! The jacuzzi has a plunging view of the bedroom through a bay window and the city. The bed is immense and of super quality. It’s totally another level!
• The cons: We clearly didn’t have the budget to afford such an apartment!

18. Hillside Condo

The rent is variable: it’s a huge condo located right next to the Maya shopping center. Here, you can find something for all budgets. Unrenovated apartments rent around 5000 baht per month, but it’s also possible to find 70m² flats completely renovated, which rent for 20,000 baht per month. The simplest thing is to ask at the reception what options are available at the time of your visit.

Of course, there are many other condos, residences, and apartment hotels in Chiang Mai. This is just a small selection based on our visits!

Review of our apartment search

There you have it, you know everything about the search for an apartment for a long-term rental in Chiang Mai! Following this nice experience, we wrote an article on the budget and we did a review of these 5 months spent as digital nomads in northern Thailand.

Rest assured, we didn’t just work for 5 months! After thoroughly exploring Chiang Mai, we took a week to discover the surroundings by doing the Mae Hong Son loop by motorbike.

Are you ready to come and settle in Chiang Mai 😉?