I have lived in Khon Kaen city for a period of a few months and have made numerous annual visits. 

I have visited Chiang Mai briefly 3 times. 

I feel a great fondness for Khon Kaen but I appreciate that Chiang Mai has much to offer. 

I would like to hear from others who have lived in both cities what they consider the pros and cons of each to be. 

 

This is from a retirement point of view. 

A little off center in my reply as I have not lived in KK. I spent 4 months in 4 different visits, traveling around "casing" Thailand in order to find my retirement city. Excluding Bangkok (too big for me), I found Chiang Mai to have everything I would possibly want. It has been home for 12 years and I am still quite happy here.

I love Chiang Mai and would live there if not fit the air pollution. 

Been to both many times. CM has better food options and the countryside is better. Easier to walk around. KK is ok but gets boring quick. 

1 hour ago, wwest5829 said:

A little off center in my reply as I have not lived in KK. I spent 4 months in 4 different visits, traveling around "casing" Thailand in order to find my retirement city. Excluding Bangkok (too big for me), I found Chiang Mai to have everything I would possibly want. It has been home for 12 years and I am still quite happy here.

What area do you live in if I may ask?

Kk is Crap boring , nothing to do  on except chase your bar girl up there and build a house ffs 

14 hours ago, paulsingle said:

I have lived in Khon Kaen city for a period of a few months and have made numerous annual visits. 

I have visited Chiang Mai briefly 3 times. 

I feel a great fondness for Khon Kaen but I appreciate that Chiang Mai has much to offer. 

I would like to hear from others who have lived in both cities what they consider the pros and cons of each to be. 

 

This is from a retirement point of view. 

Korat and KK are not Farang friendly, no English Not many Western Restaurants AVOID 4 years in Korat and always aboid KK I stay in Udon and NK only 

7 minutes ago, bignok said:

What area do you live in if I may ask?

Sansai Noi

With a Thai partner, I love Khon Kaen. I think there's great European / Mexican food restaurants and a vibrant art scene. Plus we love plants so lots of great nurseries. Chiang Mai has too many busy tourists for me these days.

KK is the better. Cleaner air, less congested and i suggest CM is too touristy and overrun with falang which tends to defeat the purpose of being in Thailand

Super super boring VS a little less boring but still permanently death.

9 minutes ago, bbbbooboo said:

KK is the better. Cleaner air, less congested and i suggest CM is too touristy and overrun with falang which tends to defeat the purpose of being in Thailand

Overrun with farang? Its been a zombie city ever since covid lol, even prior to that it was going down since 3-4 years, it was just chinese compensating it look busy. Bubble *POP*

 

Cleaner air? KK has equal weeks of bad air.

 

Seems some people only come out of their house once a month. 

I have lived in both. CM has a cold season which is really nice. The pollution in March and April really sucks in CM, it is definitely worse than the pollution in KK. CM is a tourist town, or was. Which makes it more lively, but since the Vid tourist numbers are massively down. CM is better, it just is. Korat is better than KK. Move to Joho! 

10 minutes ago, angsta said:

CM is a tourist town, or was. Which makes it more lively, but since the Vid tourist numbers are massively down.

Not for long, the tourist are returning, and in a couple weeks or so I’m sure it’s going to be flooded with tourists again 

Lived in CM about 5 years. Got bored and moved on.

 

I could see going back to CM when I'm much older.

Lived in CM for almost 4 years - have stayed in KK several times - am married (10+ yrs) and over 65 and starting to 'settled down'. 

We plan to move to KK in a few years time - has everything we need and want.

CM is 'good' - but it has several problems - extremely bad air for 3-4 months, crowded with Chinese tourists 3-4 months (they will be back), very remote (a long way to anywhere), over-priced property both rent and buy, airport taxi mafia (not as bad as Phuket, but bad), getting around without a car/bike is not easy or cheap (baht buses for tourists, but not really useful for residents).  CM has two parts - the area near the 'walled city' that is mainly locals and tourists, and areas well outside for residents and Expats. Very easy to get around in a car/bike - unlike Bangkok and Pattaya. Great golf courses and a great night life and close to 'advanture/nature' stuff. Not a large amount of 'bar girls' like Pattaya. 

 

KK is quieter but has everything someone of a mature age needs. Not as much bad air, very few tourists (big plus), easy to get anywhere to else in Thailand and overseas, property pricing not over-inflated (yet), very easy to get around. Not a large number of Expats, which IMO is a good thing, because there are many 'strange ones' in CM (and lots of Yanks). KK is growing - big plans - ring roads and fast train and international airport are all coming - KK will be second only to BKK in 10 years, maybe less.  Udon is good for Expats (only an hour or so away) but it is 'full' and they cannot expand - easy for border runs there too. 

On 10/22/2023 at 4:30 PM, novacova said:

Not for long, the tourist are returning, and in a couple weeks or so I’m sure it’s going to be flooded with tourists again 

 

 

I was there for the NYE just before the Vid closed everything a few years ago. I was also in CM in January and March of this year. I lived in CM in 06-08 and there were many more tourists then then at any time since I have visited since. 

On 10/13/2023 at 8:49 AM, Irish star said:

Korat and KK are not Farang friendly, no English Not many Western Restaurants AVOID 4 years in Korat and always aboid KK I stay in Udon and NK only 

I like Udon and Nong Khai. Udon for the nightlife and Nong Khai for the countryside along the river. 

I speak enough Thai for basic conversation so English is not a requirement for me. 

Why on earth would you live in KK if no relations there? Do you have a partner from there? It is cooking hot there. 

 

CM is ok as a travel stop a few days, ut Chiang Rai I fell in love with.

 

If Im moving anyplace from Isan where we live part time, it will be to a beach city for my elderly days. 

On 3/26/2024 at 11:30 PM, Hummin said:

Why on earth would you live in KK if no relations there? Do you have a partner from there? It is cooking hot there. 

 

CM is ok as a travel stop a few days, ut Chiang Rai I fell in love with.

 

If Im moving anyplace from Isan where we live part time, it will be to a beach city for my elderly days. 

My wife's family live in Khon Kaen. I lived in Phuket for 8 months but I prefer the more sedate life of Khon Kaen with occasional visits to Phuket. 

1 minute ago, paulsingle said:

My wife's family live in Khon Kaen. I lived in Phuket for 8 months but I prefer the more sedate life of Khon Kaen with occasional visits to Phuket. 

It is a good reason if your wife is more happy living close to her family. 

 

We live not far away of same reasons, and a good base for travelling north and south, where Loi Chiang Khan is a nice destination or Phetchabun for shorter journeys. Still not a place I want to spend when getting older, and make plan for after 70 years. 

 

It is dam hot here.