Deciding where to live is one of the first things that expats need to do when planning to move to Thailand.
Many people only think about Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and Phuket. Are these really the most suitable places for you?
In this article, we are going to break down the popular provinces for expats in Thailand, including their cost of living, transportation options, health care services, food choices, facilities, and expat communities.
Bangkok
Bangkok is the most popular destination for expats in Thailand. You can find everything here.
It’s very easy to set up your life and live in Bangkok. There are a lot of services catered for expats. Many service providers offer their services in English. You can find a wide range of choices for both local and international food here.
A majority of expats come to Bangkok for business purposes. Being the capital city of Thailand, there are a lot of job opportunities for expats in Bangkok in various industries. The pay rate is also much higher than other provinces.
There are a lot of businesses owned by expats in Bangkok. The labor market here is huge since locals all around Thailand also come here looking for jobs.
In addition to jobs and business opportunities, Bangkok has a lot of other things to offer as well.
The transportation system here is the best in Thailand, with a mass transportation system all across the city. You can find a lot of great hospitals scattered all over the city. Their treatment quality is comparable to first world countries but typically with a much lower price.
Bangkok also has the biggest expat communities. The Bangkok Expats Facebook group alone has a hundred thousand members.
The bad part?
The cost of living in Bangkok is also one of the most expensive in Thailand, especially when you live in the business district. Although the transportation system is good inside the city center, traffic itself is very heavy, especially during rush hour.
It can sometimes take more than two hours for a short 10-km ride. Many expats in Bangkok decide to move away when they no longer need to work onsite in Bangkok because they don’t want to get stuck in traffic any more.
The air quality is also quite bad during the cold season from November to February.
To summarize, Bangkok is recommended if you plan to work or run a business in Thailand. There are also a lot of activities and facilities available here.
On the other hand, if you don’t want to get stuck in traffic, it’s better to live elsewhere.
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is a popular option among digital nomads, retirees, and families for various reasons.
You can live a good life in Chiang Mai with a lower cost of living than in Bangkok. If you live outside of the city center, it’s possible to find a 100 square meter house here in a good location for less than 15,000 baht a month.
Food in Chiang Mai is also good. In addition to tasty local foods, you can also find a lot of western food, especially in the Thapae Gate and Nimman area.
What really attracts locals and expats alike to Chiang Mai are the culture, people, and atmosphere.
Chiang Mai has a slower lifestyle, where you can enjoy sipping a cup of coffee nearby the mountain side. You can live an easy life surrounded by nature while still having access to activities and modern facilities.
Because of this, Chiang Mai is also popular among retirees, not only those from western countries but also from the east, including Japan.
There are a lot of school options in Chiang Mai, making it another good place for a family.
Although the size of the expat community in Chiang Mai is smaller than in Bangkok, it’s more tight. You can see from the Chiang Mai expat Facebook group where group members actively ask and answer questions.
However, Chiang Mai isn’t always the perfect place to live.
The burning season is the worst part of Chiang Mai. The city is covered in smog during January to March, causing a significant air pollution problem. If you have health problems, it’s better to temporarily move out of Chiang Mai during that time.
The public transportation system also isn’t good enough, especially those red trucks that are notorious for expensive fares for both locals and expats.
Having your own private transportation is recommended if you plan to live here.
Although Chiang Mai is the land of digital nomads, the digital nomad community itself might not be as good as you may expect.
Many people who are just starting their digital nomad journey fly to Chiang Mai and work in a co-working space. They may not have the amount of experience as you would expect them to have.
However, it’s still possible to meet successful digital nomads and business people in Chiang Mai.
To summarize, Chiang Mai is a good city for those who want to live an easy life while still having access to modern facilities. It’s a great place for digital nomads and retirees.
On the otherhand, there’s not a lot of job opportunities here unless you already have your own clients from abroad. Air pollution is a major problem during the burning season.
Phuket
Dream of spending your life by the beautiful beach? Then Phuket could be a good place for you. It’s the largest island in Thailand and one of the world’s most famous sea destinations.
Many expats prefer to stay in Phuket because of the beaches, nightlifes, and outdoor activities. There are a lot of things you can do to enjoy your life here.
A wide range of food is available in Phuket. There is plenty of Western food all over the island. If you want to find nice Thai and Chinese cuisine, you can go to the Old Town area or the city center.
To live in Phuket, you don’t really need to learn Thai at all since everything is available in English. The quality of private hospitals in Phuket is also good.
However, Phuket is more catered to tourists. If you plan to experience “real” Thai culture, then Phuket might not be the place for you.
The cost of living in Phuket is the most expensive in Thailand. It’s even more expensive than in Bangkok.
You also need to have a car. Public transportation is nearly non-existant and taxis are very expensive. Riding a motorbike here is quite dangerous because of the mountainous terrain.
Job opportunities are mainly limited to hospitalities, real estate, teaching, and travel.
To summarize, Phuket is a good place for those who love outdoor activities and nightlife, while still wanting to have days relaxing by the beach.
However, if you are budget conscious and want to live like a local, it’s better to live elsewhere.
Koh Samui
Koh Samui is another popular expat destination in Thailand. It’s a big island located between Suratthani and Chumphon provinces.
Koh Samui is popular among divers and also retiree expats.
In addition to diving, Koh Samui is also popular for Western food, since there are a lot of retired chefs living here and selling food on the walking street.
Although Koh Samui is a popular tourist destination, many locals still reside here.
Compared to Phuket, Koh Samui is more authenticly Thai, is cheaper, and relaxing. The public transportation system is also better here.
The nightlife in Koh Samui is also good.
Since Koh Samui is quite far from the shore, facilities and infrastructure are still not good enough though.
If you plan to live here, it’s a good idea to get health insurance with medevac coverage just in case something serious happens.
To summarize, if you want to live a peaceful expat life on a laid back beach, Koh Samui is a good place for you.
Pattaya
Pattaya is not a province. Actually, it’s a city in Chon Buri, a province with lots of beautiful beaches located next to Bangkok.
There are a lot of similarities between Pattaya and Phuket.
First, it’s a very popular beach destination. Second, both heavily rely on tourists. Third, there are a lot of nightlife activities. Fourth, the cost of living is also higher than the rest of Thailand, including Bangkok.
On a good side, Pattaya is more convenient than Phuket and comes with better facilities. It’s also less expensive than Phuket, while you can still enjoy living by the beach. This is why many expats decide to retire here.
However, Phuket is better in terms of activities, attractions, and nature.
Huahin
If you don’t need to work in a city, Huahin can be a good choice. This small beach town has everything: the sea, mountains, a night market, and great food and people.
There are also plenty of things to do here as a family. You can find schools for your kids here, although options are still fewer than in Bangkok and Chiang Mai.
The cost of living in Hua Hin is also cheaper than Pattaya, Phuket, and Koh Samui. And it’s also easy for expats to set up their lives here.
Everything is nice in Hua Hin except that this small beach town can be quite busy during weekends and long holidays.
Since it’s not far from Bangkok, it’s a very popular destination for Bangkokians on weekends. Most places in Hua Hin will be crowded. Traffic will also be heavy.
If you prefer to live a peaceful life, you might want to stay home on weekends until everything is back to normal during weekdays.
Samut Prakan
Samut Prakan is a small province next to Bangkok.
It’s becoming a popular place for expats who have a family for various reasons.
There are a lot of good international schools near Samut Prakan. Accommodations here are also much cheaper than in Bangkok. It’s still possible to rent a standalone house with some space for your kids at less than 20,000 baht a month.
The Skytrain is now accessible from Samut Prakan, making it easy when you need to go to Bangkok.
Another perk is the immigration office. It’s very convenient to go to the Samut Prakan immigration office since it’s right next to BTS Pak Num station.
If you live in Bangkok, you need to go to the immigration office at Chaeng Wattana, which is very far from town with limited transportation options.
However, if your workplace is inside the Bangkok business district, commuting from Samut Prakan regularly might wear you down.
There also isn’t much to do here since activities, nightlife, and attractions are quite limited. The hospital quality also can’t compare to Bangkok.
While it’s okay for common illnesses, if you have something serious, you still need to go to Bangkok and get treatment there.
Other Provinces
Expats who live in other provinces are mainly separated into two groups. They either marry a Thai spouse, or get a teaching job in that province.
It will be a challenge to live in provinces other than those that are mentioned in this article without support from your spouse or organisation.
The language barrier is going to be the main problem, since English is rarely used and only a limited number of people can communicate in English in these provinces.
Exceptions are provinces that are still popular among tourists, such as Chiang Rai, Kanchanaburi, Ayutthaya, Nakhon Pathom, and so on.
Activities, medical services, facilities, and transportation options are limited. If you are seriously sick, chances are that you will be sent to a big city like Bangkok.
Job opportunities other than teaching are nearly non-existent.
However, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t live there. The cost of living for these provinces is pretty low. People are generally kind. Air quality is also much better than more popular provinces.
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