Guides for living in Chiang Mai

Visas, renting, buying and daily life, checked against official sources and dated.

A foreign family, two parents and their daughter, cycling along the path beside the old city moat in Chiang Mai in the early morning, the red-brick city wall and tall trees behind them and a jogger further along the path

Newest · Visa and immigration

Thailand Long-Term Visa: 9 Ways to Live in Chiang Mai

Thailand's nine long-stay visas compared on official facts: retirement, DTV, LTR, Privilege, work, study, marriage, the 30-day rule and the 2026 changes.

Visa and immigration 12

- Long stay
- Retirement visa
- DTV
Thailand Long-Term Visa: 9 Ways to Live in Chiang Mai
Thailand's nine long-stay visas compared on official facts: retirement, DTV, LTR, Privilege, work, study, marriage, the 30-day rule and the 2026 changes.
20 min read
- ED visa
- Study
Thailand ED Visa: Study Thai or Muay Thai in Chiang Mai
Thailand's ED visa for Thai, Muay Thai or university study in Chiang Mai: getting it, 90-day extensions, registered schools and their own prices, and the rules.
17 min read
- LTR visa
- Long stay
Thailand LTR Visa: The 10-Year Long-Term Resident Visa
Thailand's 10-year LTR visa: the four categories and their money tests since 2025, dependants, the ฿50,000 fee, the yearly report in Chiang Mai, the foreign-income tax exemption and its limits, and the other long stays.
12 min read
- Work permit
- Paperwork
Thailand Work Permit and Work Visa: How to Work Legally
The Thai work permit since 2018: what counts as work, the 27 closed and 13 restricted jobs, the Non-B and e-WorkPermit with a Thai employer, the yearly extension, remote work and the penalties.
13 min read
- Thailand Privilege
- Long stay
Thailand Elite Visa, Now Thailand Privilege: Costs and Rules
Thailand Elite, now Thailand Privilege: the five memberships from ฿650,000, one year per entry and the yearly extension, the 90-day report, who may join, and how it compares.
12 min read
- 90-day report
- Paperwork
90-Day Report Thailand: File Online, in Person or by Post
The 90-day report in Thailand: who files the TM.47, your due date, filing online, in person in Chiang Mai or by post, the fines, and the bill at the Senate.
12 min read
- Retirement visa
- Paperwork
Thailand Retirement Visa: Requirements, Fees, How to Apply
Thailand's retirement visa from 50: the O-A, the Non-O and the 10-year O-X, the ฿800,000 money test, insurance, fees by embassy and the yearly extension.
24 min read
- DTV
- Paperwork
- Banking
DTV Visa Thailand: Requirements, Fees and Life in Chiang Mai
The DTV visa for Thailand: who qualifies, ฿500,000 and the ฿10,000 fee, the 31 August 2026 residence rule, extensions, banks, work and tax in Chiang Mai.
16 min read
- Paperwork
- Banking
Thai Residence Certificate: How to Get One in Chiang Mai
The Thai residence certificate in Chiang Mai: what it certifies, who asks for it, the documents, the steps at the Airport Road office, and the embassy, work-permit and yellow-book alternatives.
11 min read
- Paperwork
- Landlord duties
TM30 Explained: Who Files It, Online Steps and the Receipt
TM30 in Thailand: who must file it within 24 hours, when a new one is needed, how to file online step by step, the receipt tenants need, and the fines.
10 min read
- Immigration office
- Paperwork
Chiang Mai Immigration Office: Locations, Hours and Fees
Chiang Mai Immigration's two counters, Airport Road and Central Festival: what each handles, opening hours, phone numbers, the 90-day report, extensions and fees.
12 min read
- Retirement visa
- Rents
- Hospitals
Retire in Chiang Mai: Visas, Where to Live, Rents and Healthcare (2026)
Retire in Chiang Mai from age 50: the two retirement visas and the 2026 entry change, eight areas with rents and hospital distances, healthcare and tax.
13 min read

Renting 6

- Moving
- Deposits
- Bills
Move-In and Move-Out Checklist for Renting in Thailand
A move-in and move-out checklist for renting in Thailand: the condition report, meter photos, the TM30, utility accounts, notice, the handover and the deposit.
15 min read
- Scams
- Leases
Rental Scams in Thailand: Signs, Checks and What to Do
Rental scams in Thailand: how fake owners rent out real homes, the warning signs, how to check the owner, the agent and the account, and who to call if you have paid.
9 min read
- Deposits
- Tenant rights
Security Deposits in Thailand: How Much and Getting It Back
Security deposits in Thailand: how much landlords ask, the three-month cap for landlords with three or more homes, the 7- and 14-day return rule, what may be deducted, and how to get it back.
8 min read
- Leases
- Deposits
- Rents
Renting in Thailand as a Foreigner: How It Works
How renting in Thailand works for foreigners: the steps, the deposit, the 2025 leasing rule, three-month leases, red flags, and typical rents in Chiang Mai.
9 min read
- Bills
Water Bills in Thailand: Rates and What Renters Pay
Thailand's water rates in Chiang Mai: what one person, a couple or a family pays a month, what 1,000 litres cost, how to check your bill, and what a landlord may charge.
6 min read
- Bills
Electricity Bills in Thailand: Rates and What Renters Pay
Thailand's electricity rates since September 2026, worked bills for 150–500 units, what air-con costs a month in Chiang Mai, and what landlords may charge.
10 min read

Families and schools 1

- International schools
- Fees
- Family visas
International Schools in Chiang Mai: 2026/27 Fees Compared
All 21 international schools in Chiang Mai with their own 2026/27 fees, Thai private and state schools, visas for children, and homes near the schools.
17 min read

Health 2

Living in Chiang Mai 3

- Banking
- Paperwork
How to Open a Bank Account in Thailand as a Foreigner
Opening a Thai bank account as a foreigner: what each bank publishes, tourists and the DTV, the app and its limits, the 2026 fee caps, condo money and visa bank letters.
13 min read
- Budgets
- Rents
- Insurance
Cost of Living in Chiang Mai: Three Budgets for One Person
The cost of living in Chiang Mai for one person: three monthly budgets from ฿23,200 to ฿82,700, our rents by area, food, bills, Grab, scooters and insurance.
16 min read
- Air quality
- Health
Chiang Mai Air Quality: Burning Season, PM2.5 and What to Do
Chiang Mai's air today from the official stations, when the burning season comes and how bad it gets, why it happens, and how to keep your home's air clean.
11 min read

Buying 1

- Condos
- Ownership
- Costs
The Foreigner's Guide to Buying a Condo in Chiang Mai
Foreigners can buy Chiang Mai condos outright under Thailand's Condominium Act. The legal framework, taxes and the 7-step purchase, in plain English.
11 min read

Legal 1

- Tenant rights
- Landlord duties
- Contracts
Thailand Rental Law: Landlord Duties and Tenant Rights
Thai rental law explained: the Civil Code rules for every lease, the standard lease for landlords with three or more homes, its void clauses, stamp duty and tax.
15 min read

Places in Chiang Mai