living in chiang mai

[camsouth]

hello every My wife and i are planing to move and live in Chiang Mai soon . So what i am looking for is how it is to live there year round . how the city works so to speak. good areas to live and whats it like living there.

we now live phuket and would like to see other parts of thailand i am retired and my wife ( who is not thai) and under 50 a good area to live close to shopping and how well is english spoken there.cost of living. i make around 54 k usd per year so good insight and advice is welcome .

thanks again

[anto]

Most things will be cheaper than Phuket especially house rental /sale .You could live very well on the money you mention .Somebody is bound to mention air quality ,when they burn off the rice stubble around March but it has no affect on me ,in the slightest ,after 5 years here .

[masuk]

Having tried 3 houses in two years, I'm convinced that a nice condominium with pool is the way to go.

Condos have rules about hours of maintenance, dogs, no industry, karaoke, no burning of rubbish! Moo baans can have work going on 7 days a week, dogs roaming free, noisy dogs at the neighbours, and believe it or not, there appears to be little zoning here. So you can have a few nice houses and then a workshop in the same street.

There may well be moo baans which have a management group, which might be a good way to go also.

Good hunting.

[kaptainrob]

If you are 50'ish .... don't listen to old fart advice on Thai Geezer.

Come and check out Chiang Mai for yourself. IMO it's a better place to live than Phuket, but no beaches. Seems every new rental around us is ex-Phuket and many have now bought or built in our mooban.

[sfokevin]

There are a number of wonderful moo bans and condos here to suit your fancy... A number of new malls have opened... And I have never had a problem with the air quality... But since you are from Phuket you can easily escape back there for a month (Airasia was direct flights 6 times a day)...

The one thing that will be hard for you to adjust to is a taxi ride from the airport to most of the city is 120 baht with no courtesy stops at travel agents ;-)...

[camsouth]

well how about areas ? good bad ect ? best shopping places . tht kind of thing and life style. dont mind the burning i lived in Oregon and burn the grass fields as well. so tell me whats it like living there weather ect?

[sfokevin]

Do you prefer condo or house?... City or country lifestyle?... Do you have a car?

Edited September 2, 2014 by sfokevin

[camsouth]

Do you prefer condo or house?... City or country lifestyle?... Do you have a car?

condo i think would be best for us , no car yet plan on getting a motor bike to start with then a car if we can or want is it best to have a car?

[camsouth]

There are a number of wonderful moo bans and condos here to suit your fancy... A number of new malls have opened... And I have never had a problem with the air quality... But since you are from Phuket you can easily escape back there for a month (Airasia was direct flights 6 times a day)...

The one thing that will be hard for you to adjust to is a taxi ride from the airport to most of the city is 120 baht with no courtesy stops at travel agents ;-)...

thats better than here at 200 baht or 700 to airport i like getting more bangfor my buck so to speak))

[northernjohn]

There are 5 major shopping malls and a lot of smaller ones. If you are leaning towards condo best you come and decide for your self. Do you want a quite area or an area handy to bars. Do you want to be walking distance to a mall or some what reclusive. Do you want a view of the mountains or the river or does it even matter. Best you take a one month Guest house rent a motor bike and check around the city for you self.

You can live very nice here on that amount of money. We have people saying you can live on $6,000 a year. I personal woulden't want to live that way but some do and apparently they are happy with it.

[mania]

Do you prefer condo or house?... City or country lifestyle?... Do you have a car?

condo i think would be best for us , no car yet plan on getting a motor bike to start with then a car if we can or want is it best to have a car?

It is during the rainy season

But a bike is better in town for getting around, parking etc.

We have both

But many get by with a bike or taking a tuktuk or lor deng

Edited September 2, 2014 by mania

[FolkGuitar]

We used to have two cars, one for my wife and one for me. Now we have none and are MUCH happier with far less stress! We have motorbikes that get us anywhere around town without having to sit in traffic jams, without dealing with trying to find a parking space, and without getting blocked in when parked in a shopping mall lot! For the 'once every month or two' that we may want a car for some sightseeing further afield, we rent one. Otherwise, we use selor or tuk-tuks. We live in town, can walk to two shopping malls in less than 10 minutes, walk to the middle of the Old City in 20 minutes, to theWararot Market area in 40 minutes if we so desire. And the walking keeps us fit. Obviously, if we lived further away from town, we would probably want a car, but that's why we chose to live where we do.

I think one of the wisest moves we've made was to go car-less! The savings in Mental Health are incredible.

Every once in a while it's a minor inconvenience, true. But every day it's a God-send.

[ericpasansai]

Mooban living is a middle class boring approach to life in cm. Cookie cutter homes with laundry drying in the front yard. There are few rules and you can have a motor bike repaired shop open across the street. It's for people who want to surround themselves with other farangs and fancy themselves pioneers and expats

[kaptainrob]

Mooban living is a middle class boring approach to life in cm. Cookie cutter homes with laundry drying in the front yard. There are few rules and you can have a motor bike repaired shop open across the street. It's for people who want to surround themselves with other farangs and fancy themselves pioneers and expats

Obviously we don't live in anything like the same mooban ... thank buddha!

Sivali Ratchapruek (spelling?) is a fabulous mooban with great facilities and far superior IMHO to condo living. It's walking distance to BigC/HomePro Hang Dong and 4 k's straight up Hang Dong Rd into heart of the city. It's position, south of CNX runway is NOT noisy as it's offset to the west. Well worth a look for a well laid out L&H mooban. [No, we don't own/live there]

Conversely, there are 'cookie cutter' moobans in the same vicinity, Urbana2 - directly under flight path, which are good rental prospects for proximity. Elsewhere around CM, one has to move a fair way out or settle for a condo. Somewhere on the river or on Nimmenhaemin would be my choice in later life, mainly for views and access to restaurants without need for a vehicle.

At ~ 50'ish, a car is essential in CM.

[amexpat]

I'm learning new terms for transport here. They apparently refer to song taew, rot deng, or red bus.

"But many get by with a bike or taking a tuktuk or lor deng"

"Otherwise, we use selor or tuk-tuks."

Can't find these terms anywhere else. What ever happened to song tel?

[hml367]

Cookie cutter homes? Is that like just a few designs which the abodes are made into? Condos are not like that?

For anyone to say condo or house is better than the other seems to me they don't understand that not everyone thinks the same. Saying that your personal way of thinking is superior to another seems to be thinking you are better than someone else that has a different way of thinking.

Walking around Chiang Mai? Nothing wrong with that as long as you don't complain on ThaiVisa about motorcycles blocking the foot paths, signs on the foot paths, tables on the foot paths. Again, not everyone thinks the same.

To have a car or not? Again, thinking that your decision is better than the other person's seems self serving to me. I have witnessed what appears to be "driving frustration" in Chiang Mai with motorcycles and cars. I also see people walking and shaking their heads.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Mooban living is a middle class boring approach to life in cm. Cookie cutter homes with laundry drying in the front yard. There are few rules and you can have a motor bike repaired shop open across the street. It's for people who want to surround themselves with other farangs and fancy themselves pioneers and expats

No foreigners in my moobaan, I wouldn't be living there if there was.

[NancyL]

camsouth -- you've probably gotten the idea by now that there are many options -- condos, housing estates, houses in the city, shophouses (nobody touched on those yet -- Hubby and I lived in one for a while), etc As you can see, each mode of living has its fans. English is widely spoken. There are western-style grocery stores and Thai markets in many locations.

Suggest you come and stay in a hotel/guesthouse/serviced apartment for a while and look around.

Without knowing your lifestyle and interests, it's impossible to recommend if you should get a car or motorbike. Some people love the vibrant life in the city, where you can walk to just about everything and tuk-tuks and songthaews are reasonably priced. Those people like knowing they aren't contributing to Chiang Mai's choking traffic problem. They love exploring the many back alleys and hidden spots of the city and finding the "real Chiang Mai"

Then there are others who couldn't imagine life without a car. They never venture within the ring roads. Everything they need is found at one of the shiny new malls. If they want to get away from it all, they can be in the countryside in minutes and into the "real Thailand".

[camsouth]

my life style is pretty easy walking is ok i lived in usa for years and had at least one car and as many as 3 at times. but i do like mass transit. for in a car you do miss some of what life is going on around you so walking distance is ok foe me and my wife. we will plan on staying a while there , to see what life is like there. western style kitchen is perfed as well. and my wife is a city girl))))

Edited September 3, 2014 by camsouth

[kaptainrob]

I love walking also. We 1st rented a condo near Nimmenhaemin and despite having both car and scooter, I would walk to Suthep Rd market, KSK mall, or the old city. On fine days. For something urgent the scooter was great although tuk tuk/songteaw would be just as good. On fine days. There's usually plenty of shade on at least one side of most CM streets.

Punna or Unique condo's with [small] western kitchen very nice and handy to everything, IMO.

There is no "mass transport" system as such, certainly nothing like BKK's light rail. Songteaws - need to know route. Tuk tuks - can't carry much and very open but go anywhere. Taxi's excellent. Forget the buses, too old and slow... can walk faster!

[JB300]

OP, Apologies if this is a little too "Nightlife" focused, but there's some good info on where to stay in CM on this site... http://www.livingthai.org/where-to-live-in-chiang-mai-map-included.html

[Andyfarquar]

I'm 54 and am very comfortable here in a condo in town with a motorbike. Our building has condos available for short or long term. I'm sure there must be many more. You could come for a month to see what it's like without risking anything. We favour central Airport Plaza for shopping and cinema. They also have a great food court. We take a 5 minute ride there from Changklan. Our cable TV is 350 baht but limited channels, wifi internet is 500 baht monthly. Secure parking, easy walk to 7-11 and KFC. Plenty of good restaurants and bars nearby. We love it here, maybe you would too.

[masuk]

North of the city from Mae Cho onwards on highway 1001 has some economical places, and a lot of condos going up ,but I really disliked the race track into the city.

It's a good straight run, but there's a lot of jostling, tail-gating, crazy overtaking most of the day.

Niman is a nice area, access to shops, Maya Mall, but rotten footpaths and directly under the flight path out of Chiang Mai.

Try a guest house around Thae Pae Gate for the first week or so; and just look around. Try Elegant Lanna http://www.elegantlanna.com/ but book on line first.

Warning: when estate agents advertise 'hot water', they really mean the shower water is warm.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

I'm 54 and am very comfortable here in a condo in town with a motorbike. Our building has condos available for short or long term. I'm sure there must be many more. You could come for a month to see what it's like without risking anything. We favour central Airport Plaza for shopping and cinema. They also have a great food court. We take a 5 minute ride there from Changklan. Our cable TV is 350 baht but limited channels, wifi internet is 500 baht monthly. Secure parking, easy walk to 7-11 and KFC. Plenty of good restaurants and bars nearby. We love it here, maybe you would too.

Just to point out Airport Plaza has the worst food quality out of all the Malls in CM.

And it's dirty.

Maya has the best quality food and is extremely clean.

Central Festival, somewhere in the middle of the two, the food court on the level overlooking the ice ring has good window and ice rink views.

CF also has the best quality KFC, with nice views (of the girls coming in) looking out over the entrance and car park.

[sfokevin]

^^^

And let's not forget Kad Suan Kaew aka KSK which is the oldest and LoSo of the bunch but is still the favorite of us true Chiang Mai expatriots... It has the only food court in the city with tower beer kegs and live music for free in the evenings!... Try to live walking distance to here at first...

Edited September 3, 2014 by sfokevin

[Andyfarquar]

I'm 54 and am very comfortable here in a condo in town with a motorbike. Our building has condos available for short or long term. I'm sure there must be many more. You could come for a month to see what it's like without risking anything. We favour central Airport Plaza for shopping and cinema. They also have a great food court. We take a 5 minute ride there from Changklan. Our cable TV is 350 baht but limited channels, wifi internet is 500 baht monthly. Secure parking, easy walk to 7-11 and KFC. Plenty of good restaurants and bars nearby. We love it here, maybe you would too.

Just to point out Airport Plaza has the worst food quality out of all the Malls in CM.

And it's dirty.

Maya has the best quality food and is extremely clean.

Central Festival, somewhere in the middle of the two, the food court on the level overlooking the ice ring has good window and ice rink views.

CF also has the best quality KFC, with nice views (of the girls coming in) looking out over the entrance and car park.

Well I would have to guess you must have gone to Airport Plaza on a bad day is all I can think..... I've eaten there a dozen times or more this last few weeks and the food is excellent, the place is spotlessly clean and it is packed with a wide range of nationalities. We have to wait sometimes to get a seat. The quality of the food bowls me over and you can watch them cook your dish in almost all the stalls. You can choose from a huge range of local vegetables and meats. One of my favourites is the roti guy who makes the most delicious roti I've ever had (considering my ex wife is Indian, that's no small thing). The range of savoury & sweet dishes, as well as the juices is truly outstanding. As it happens the KFC, which we do use occasionally is also beside an entrance but watching the girls is not one of my priorities. The cinema on the 4th floor is very convenient for us, it's also very clean and well staffed. I am a regular also to the Robinsons department store for children's clothes and to the 5th floor where you can find great priced tv's and all manner of appliances. Lastly, the supermarket stocks all the food items we could need and plenty that took me by surprise. Such as Twinings Lady Grey Tea and cereals that I thought weren't available outside UK.

[ChiangMai101]

LOL @ ".. us true Chiang Mai expatriots"

[camsouth]

North of the city from Mae Cho onwards on highway 1001 has some economical places, and a lot of condos going up ,but I really disliked the race track into the city.

It's a good straight run, but there's a lot of jostling, tail-gating, crazy overtaking most of the day.

Niman is a nice area, access to shops, Maya Mall, but rotten footpaths and directly under the flight path out of Chiang Mai.

Try a guest house around Thae Pae Gate for the first week or so; and just look around. Try Elegant Lanna http://www.elegantlanna.com/ but book on line first.

Warning: when estate agents advertise 'hot water', they really mean the shower water is warm.

yes i know about the hot warm lol had a few hotels that way too thanks for the tips so how about safety ? as fa as crime goes there good areas bad areas to stay away from?

[masuk]

North of the city from Mae Cho onwards on highway 1001 has some economical places, and a lot of condos going up ,but I really disliked the race track into the city.

It's a good straight run, but there's a lot of jostling, tail-gating, crazy overtaking most of the day.

Niman is a nice area, access to shops, Maya Mall, but rotten footpaths and directly under the flight path out of Chiang Mai.

Try a guest house around Thae Pae Gate for the first week or so; and just look around. Try Elegant Lanna http://www.elegantlanna.com/ but book on line first.

Warning: when estate agents advertise 'hot water', they really mean the shower water is warm.

yes i know about the hot warm lol had a few hotels that way too thanks for the tips so how about safety ? as fa as crime goes there good areas bad areas to stay away from?

So far, I haven't heard of a single incident involving any of my expat friends here in 3 years. I walk to the pub at night, go shopping (also walking). just a matter of dodging around the traffic and a few pot holes in the paths. Pedestrians are not a top priority as far as I can see.

Chiang Mai is not Phuket or Pattya.

[uptheos]

Mooban living is a middle class boring approach to life in cm. Cookie cutter homes with laundry drying in the front yard. There are few rules and you can have a motor bike repaired shop open across the street. It's for people who want to surround themselves with other farangs and fancy themselves pioneers and expats

No foreigners in my moobaan, I wouldn't be living there if there was.

Maybe you're the reason there are no other foreigners there.