Wat Chiang Man is one of my favorite temples in the old city that sees fewer crowds.
Chiang Mai is a very easy place to live for a few months or longterm. I’ve been living in Chiang Mai every winter since 2018 and now have a five-year DTV (Destination Thailand Visa for remote workers) that makes it easy to come and go.
In this post, I’ve answered the most common questions I get asked about living in Chiang Mai, including long-term rentals, travel medical insurance, eSIM cards and gyms. Keep reading so you can spend less time worrying about logistics and more time enjoying Chiang Mai.
Need more help planning a Thailand trip? Check out my Thailand travel guide. I’ve also made in-depth posts on the best things to do in Bangkok and Chiang Mai.
Affiliate links are used in this post. If you make a purchase, I earn a small commission at no cost to you, which goes toward the cost of maintaining this blog.
In this Post
Weekly & Monthly Room Rentals in Chiang Mai
The Best Coworking Spaces in Chiang Mai
Car & Motorbike Rentals in Chiang Mai
Where’s the best place to buy an eSIM cardin Chiang Mai?
Where to get a haircut in Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai Medical Care & Insurance
Thailand Visas, Extensions and Border Runs in Chiang Mai
How to do a Border Visa Run from Chiang Mai
Destination Thailand Visas (DTV) + My Experience Applying (DTV)
Weekly & Monthly Room Rentals in Chiang Mai
There’s no shortage of monthly rentals in town. The best ones book out in advance. I’ve included several locations to show the wide variety of options. I prefer to pay $300-400/month personally depending on if I get a studio or a one-bedroom. Electric and water is usually not included. (I pay around $50USD/month for utilities.) A one-month deposit is also required.
Mirror Chiang Mai – These apartments are family-owned with both one- and two-bedroom units ranging from $540-840 USD/month. The same company owns PT Residences next door, which offers clean but dated apartments starting at $300/month. Weekly cleanings are included.
Huay Kaew Residence – This is the most budget friendly and centrally located spot in town for both the old city and Nimman. The good news: there’s a pool and the complex is huge so there’s always availability. The bad news: the beds are literally like sleeping on a wooden board. Studios start around 3,500 baht/$117 USD per month for 24 square meters.
Liv@Nimman – This modern condo building is swanky and includes a stunning pool. It’s located in the heart of Nimman near Maya Mall. One bedroom apartments start at $672/month.
Green Hill Place – This modern apartment building has two NICE pools and a gym. It’s located by Maya Mall. One bedroom units start at 10,000 baht/$336 USD.
Plan Your Trip
Currency: Thai Baht (THB)
When to Go: October to January for best weather. Avoid the smokey season from February to April.
Travel Medical Insurance: Get covered with SafetyWing.
Mobile eSIM Card: Stay connected with Airalo. (Save 10% with code AIRALOESIM10!)
The Best Coworking Spaces in Chiang Mai
The Coco Club cowrking in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
There’s new coworking spaces opening all the time, and it’s best to choose a place based on where you live. Cafes are always a great backup option. I’ve always gone to Punspace, which has only two locations in old town because their Nimman branch closed during the pandemic. (Wiang Kaew is the most social of the two branches.)
In Nimman, there is Yellow, a large space that’s always packed, and the newest addition is OpenHub near Maya Mall is great for coworking and private offices. Another popular workspace is CAMP, a cafe in Maya Mall, that’s open 8 a.m. to midnight.
Other options include Hub53 (offers unlimited and hourly plans) and the Bali-style luxury of The Coco Club offering day passes and a swanky pool!
Car & Motorbike Rentals in Chiang Mai
Motorbikes can be rented just about anywhere in town for roughly 200 baht/day ($6.60 USD). There’s several places along Huay Kaew Road.
SAFETY ALERT: If you don’t have a Thai license or an international motorcycle license, most travel insurance companies will NOT cover you if there’s an accident. The police also set up regular check points around the city and fines are 500 baht ($16.50 USD) if you don’t have a proper license.
I’ve rented a car from Budgetcatcher Car and Scooter Rental in Nimman and had a great experience. It was roughly $30/day for a car.
Where’s the best place to buy an eSIM card
in Chiang Mai?
The easiest thing to do is buy a Thailand specific eSIM card from Airalo that will work instantly when you arrive. If you are traveling to multiple countries in Southeast Asia on a short trip, then consider one of their Asia Regional eSIM cards. (Both the country-specific and regional eSIMs have worked wonderfully for me and even have a mobile hotspot option that’s critical for me because I’m always working remotely.) Keep in mind it’s always cheaper to buy a country specific eSIM than a regional one. For more details, read my Airalo review for Southeast Asia.
Be sure to join the free Airalo Loyalty Program to earn 5% cash back for every purchase, which can be redeemed on future purchases. For more about eSIM cards, check out this post!! Airalo Promo Codes: New customers save 15% off with NEWTOAIRALO15 and existing users save 10% with AIRALOESIM10.
If you’re going to be traveling in Thailand for while, then buying a local SIM or eSIM when you arrive will offer the best value and maximum data. The main carriers are AIS, DTAC and TrueMove. I’ve always used AIS so that’s my preference since coverage is good everywhere I’ve been in the country. You have to show your passport to get a SIM card, which is pretty common in most countries. It’s always more expensive to buy it at the airport.
When I arrived in Thailand, I bought a 30-day plan with 6 GB from AIS in airport for $19 USD. When I topped it up at the AIS in Maya Mall, they offered me a new sim card with a better plan with unlimited data for $8.28 USD. You can top up at machines at 7Elevens or at the retail stores for all the main carriers.
The Best Gyms in Chiang Mai
Maxx Fitness at Maya Mall
These gyms are located around the Nimman area and I’ve tried them all! (I am picky about gyms when it comes to equipment and air conditioning.) Prices can change frequently so be sure to check with the gyms directly!
Maxx Fitness – This is the nicest gym in the Nimman area and the priciest. It’s located in the Maya Mall and has excellent air circulation and climate control. The equipment is all new and classes are offered. The monthly membership fee is 1,699 baht ($50 USD).
Jett Fitness – This chain gym is located in the One Nimman shopping complex. It’s actually a fairly small and awkward space, so I decided to stick to Maxx Fitness instead. They have a good amount of equipment, but Maxx is still best in my opinion.
Playground Fitness Chiang Mai – When this gym opened, I initially didn’t like it because it was a small space, and the main floor area was used for classes in the mornings and evenings. It’s moved to a new space, so perhaps things are better. Monthly memberships start at 2,000 baht/ $64 USD. Sai 26 Road Suthep.
Harris Fitness Center – This is one of the most budget options in town located in the Lotus Hotel. It’s a cramped space with older equipment but lots of options. Classes are also included for free. The staff is really friendly. It doesn’t have great airflow or a/c. Rates are 1,250 baht/month ($42 USD) and 600 baht weekly ($20). 21 Huaykaew Rd.
Gold Hillside Gym & Fitness – (1,100 baht/$37 USD month) This gym is located in the bottom of Hillside Condo 3. It’s a nice-sized space but a bit dated. It’s got good airflow but just didn’t have the equipment I wanted. 50 Huaykaew Rd.
The Wall Fitness & Studio – (1,000 baht/$30 USD month or 100 baht/$3 USD day) This new modern gym is located behind the Maya Mall. It’s a large space filled with lots of equipment. Daily and monthly passes are available. (This is the only one I haven’t tried yet because I just love Maxx so much.) 49/22 Huay Kaew Rd.
Vira Yoga Studio – My friend Wee has a great yoga studio that I recommend. Class schedules can be found online. He also teaches the 8:30 a.m. class Maxx Fitness on Wednesdays, too.
Best Muay Thai Gyms in Chiang Mai
There is a Muay Thai gym in every corner of the city, but I love Heavy Hit Boxing Gym located southeast of the city. This gym is only pad work and by appointment only (1.5 hours, 350 baht), so it feels like more one-on-one training. There’s never more than a handful of people here. I feel like there’s more individual instruction here to help me improve my form. I’d recommend Heavy Hit first if you’re new to Muay Thai. Book via Facebook or Line.
Bear Fight Club Chiang Mai is another spot I frequent because I like the trainers. (They just moved to a bigger location south of town.) Classes are roughly 2.5 hours and 400 baht. It’s the most intense and also the most crowded, which is intimidating if you’re new. It can get too crowded for me, so I will only go early on weekdays. If you want to train to fight, this is the spot. (I haven’t tried the new location yet but I bet it’s bigger!)
The other option I’ve tired is Chiang Mai Muay Thai, which has the most frequent class times. Classes are shorter (1.5 hours) for 390 baht. It’s located in the old city and can also get slammed with people.
Where to get a haircut in Chiang Mai
While there’s plenty of places around to get a haircut, I like New York New York in Nimman. It’s an Aveda salon, and they do a good job. (I’ve had so many terrible haircuts abroad that I’m really picky about places since I have short hair!) Prices range from 550-850 baht ($18-28 USD) for a wash and cut.
Chiang Mai Medical Care & Insurance
SafetyWing travel medical insurance covers Thailand and over 180 countries
Do you need travel medical insurance for Chiang Mai?
Yes, travel medical insurance is one of the most important things to purchase for any trip abroad, especially to Thailand. It covers everything that could go wrong, from injuries to travel delays, so that you don’t have to worry and can focus on traveling!
When I’m in Chiang Mai, I always buy SafetyWing’s Nomad Essential Insurance policy. It offers $0 deductible travel medical insurance coverage for only a few dollars a day! If you get sick or injured abroad, you can visit any hospital or doctor.
In addition to SafetyWing, I have a global health insurance policy through Cigna Global using Chiang Mai as my base. The policy covers my routine care for an annual physical but has a high deductible for anything else, which is why I also buy a SafetyWing policy in addition to it. I dig into the details in my Why I Go Abroad for Health Care post.
Other benefits of SafetyWing Nomad Insurance include coverage for lost checked luggage, travel delays over 12 hours, motor accidents (if properly licensed, wearing all safety equipment and not intoxicated) and injuries from sports or leisure activities. You can even add adventure sports, electronics theft and U.S. coverage (for non-residents) to your policy. I love that their customer support lets you talk with a REAL human 24/7.
For more details, read my review of my experience with SafetyWing’s medical coverage and travel delay benefits.
Where to get Medical Care in Chiang Mai
The medical care in Thailand’s private hospitals is FANTASTIC, efficient and affordable. In Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai RAM near the old city and Bangkok Hospital Chiang Mai near Central Festival mall are the two main hospitals.
I’ve been to Bangkok Hospital many times and the facilities are really nice. (I get all of my routine annual health checks done in Thailand every year, which I’ve written about in this blog post with a full cost breakdown. I even get travel vaccines in Thailand because it’s easier and cheaper than the U.S.)
For medicine, Dara Pharmacy near Central Festival Mall will have any medication you need and it will be at least half the price of Bangkok Hospital. The British drugstore chains of Watson’s and Boots are also great but don’t always have every medicine.
Thailand Visas, Extensions and Border Runs in Chiang Mai
As of September 15, 2026, Thailand implemented a 30-day visa exemption entry for tourism for 60 countries, including the United States, U.K. and Australia. (Previously, it was 60 days.)
Thai immigration has cracked down on people doing visa runs, and entry is subject to immigration officials. Under the new rules, eligible travelers can make up to two visa-exempt land entries per calendar year. Entries before September 15, 2026 do not count toward this limit for 2026.
If you plan on staying in Thailand longer than this, consider applying for one of the Destination Thailand Visas. I am currently on a five-year Digital Nomad DTV for remote workers.
Can the new 30-day Thai visa exemption be extended?
You can usually extend your visa for 30 days at an immigration office, subject to the officer’s approval. After the extension, you must leave the country or do a visa run, which I talk about below. If you apply for another extension after that, immigration will typically only grant seven days to give you time to leave the country.
Can you do a border run in Thailand after a 30-day extension?
After doing a 30-day extension, travelers may be able to leave at a land border and re-enter with a new visa-exempt entry for 30 days. I’ve had a great experience using Chiang Mai Visa Run for border runs. They review your passport, extension history and recent entries to see if you are eligible. (You can’t do a border run if you’ve already gotten the seven-day stamp mentioned above.) For details on the new rules, check out Chiang Mai Visa Run’s detailed breakdown blog post.
How to do a 30-Day Visa Extension in Chiang Mai (In-Person)
To extend your initial 30 stamp for another 30 days, you’ll need to fill out a TM.7 form at immigration.
These instructions apply to people who need to extend the initial 30-day stamp for another 30 days.
The main Chiang Mai Immigration Office is located near the airport. (Address: 71 ถนนสนามบิน Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50200) Hours are 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. There is also an immigration office at Central Festival Mall.
When you arrive, grab a number at the booth by the entrance. You’ll have to fill out the application forms in the outdoor area to the left. For 30-day visa extensions, you need bring following documents with you: a copy of your passport photo page, a copy of your entry stamp in your passport, a copy of where your accommodation listed you in the government registry, a passport-sized photo and the correct application form (TM.7 form provided at the entrance).
If you forget copies or the photo, the gas station across the street has a booth set up to help. The cost for a 30-day extension is 1,900 baht in cash. (Don’t worry – they give change!) There are volunteer staff at a table to help make sure you have the correct paperwork, so be sure to have them look over your papers.
When your number is called, you’ll go up to a window outside, and they’ll check your paperwork. You’ll be given a new number for the inside. Unless you arrive when they open, you’ll likely have to come back after lunch for the inside portion. They will give you the timing to come back when they give you your inside number.
When they call your second number, you go inside, you’ll hand your forms to the main counter. They will give you a ticket with a number and barcode, then you’ll be called up to the counter. Your number shows up on a screen. They will take your picture and get any other information they need. They’ll call your name a few minutes later to give you your passport with a blue receipt, which you need to show when you exit the country. The second part is really quick. It’s just the first part that’s so long. Set aside a whole day just to be safe and arrive when they open! The last time I did this it took almost the whole day. Please check their website for holiday closings.
How to do a 30-Day Visa Extension in Chiang Mai Online
As of January 2025, you can now apply for an electronic extension for tourist visas. Book an appointment online, upload the required documents (same as above) and pay online. Once your extension is approved, you still must physically go to immigration to get the extension stamp. The visa fee is 1,900 Baht. There are additional service fees: Regular (7 business days) 500 Baht; Express (3 business days) 1,500 Baht; and Urgent (next day but only if next day is a business day) 5,000 Baht. (I physically got this information off the sign at immigration.)
How to do a Border Visa Run from Chiang Mai
If you have already done a 30-day extension, you’ll need to do a visa run to a land border or fly to another country to re-enter Thailand legally. I recently did this and wanted to share my experience.
I’ve used Chiang Mai Visa Run to take a full-day trip to the Laos border and retuned the same day with a new entry stamp. I was picked up at Maya Mall at 6:30 a.m., and we returned around 5:30 p.m. The drive was close to five hours each way with one toilet stop. An immigration official met the group and escorted us through the entire process, which took about an hour. Traffic getting back into Chiang Mai slowed things down a bit, but otherwise it was efficient. There were seven people on my trip total. Many people use this service to transfer to Destination Thailand Visas (DTV). Thankfully, Chiang Mai Visa Run screens all customers to make sure the visa run will work for your visa. They are very knowledgeable about the new rules, so definitely reach out to them for questions about if you qualify for their services.
The visa run packages cost ranges from VIP 5,300 Baht ($156 USD) to 2,000 Baht ($59 USD) for transport only. (For me, it was worth paying the extra for the VIP service at the border.) I paid 4,300 when I used them two years ago. (I’m on a DTV now.) It is an additional 2,000 Baht ($59 USD) for the Laos visa for most nationalities on the visa-exempt scheme. You also must pay 65 Baht ($1.93 USD) for the roundtrip bus to cross the border bridge. (I booked through PayPal, so there were some extra fees. In PayPal, make sure to select the option to let your bank do the currency conversion to save a few dollars.)
Due to the visa changes, it’s best to use an agency if you’re doing a land visa run or fly out of the country. If you attempt to do a land visa run on your own, you may not be able to re-enter the same day because it depends on the local rules. In my experience, there were signs posted at the border stating you couldn’t re-enter the same day, so it was clear before leaving Thailand.
What type of Destination Thailand Visas (DTV) are available?
If you are looking to stay in Thailand long-term, the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) is a great option. DTVs fall into three categories, according to the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington, DC:
Purpose of Visit:
- Workcation (Digital nomad/remote worker/foreign talent/freelancer)
- Thai soft power related activities e.g. Muaythai, Thai culinary training and medical treatment
- Spouse and children under 20 years old of DTV visa holders
The cost is $400 USD for a five-year, multiple-entry visa. Each entry grants 180 days.
My Experience Applying for Thailand’s Workcation (Digital Nomad) DTV
Since I am American, I applied from the U.S. in mid-August and was approved in two weeks. Since I’ve applied, an FBI background check has been added as a new requirement.
For the Workcation DTV, I had to submit a recent savings/bank statement for the past three months showing a balance of 500,000 THB ($16,000 USD), a scan of my driver’s license as proof of my current location, and an employment contract or a portfolio showcasing my status as a freelancer. I also attached a letter explaining my income and clients.
Since I teach remotely asynchronous for a university part-time, I attached that contract along with recent contracts from editorial clients. Since this blog is part of my income, I attached screenshots of my revenue from advertising to prove this is a source of income. After a week, they requested proof of filing for my 2025 taxes, which I had to download from the IRS website, and recent pay slips. For the pay slips, I submitted these along with my individual 2025 tax forms for each of my main clients as overkill to make sure there was no question that I was a freelancer generating income. I was approved a few days later, and it was breeze when I entered Thailand the following month.
