Chiang Mai: Digital Nomad Paradise in 2023
Chiang Mai, Thailand’s soul, and cultural attraction, recently emerged as the paradise for digital nomads moving to Southeast Asia. But, as a whole, Asia always wins the hearts of travelers because of its identity, the beauty of life of sticking to culture and traditions, and spirituality.
From a quiet, religious city, Chiang Mai became a town full of tourists, unique cafes and coffee shops, new accommodations, and modern shopping malls. However, the richness of its culture is still present all over the city. Chiang Mai is situated in the north of Thailand, around 700 kilometers from Bangkok. During Christmas Chiang Mai gets very busy till March 2023, because of the beautiful scenery and nice weather in the region.
Chiang Mai is one of the most popular cities in Thailand for digital nomads and expats. It is the second largest city after Bangkok. It is often called the “gateway to northern Thailand” because it’s easily accessible from Bangkok and offers many tourist attractions.
Lastly, Chiang Mai’s laid-back atmosphere makes the city super safe, and you will always meet like-minded people or travelers in the town. Chiang Mai has become a mecca of digital nomads because of the great communities you can join with entrepreneurs, freelancers, and more on Facebook groups. On the other hand, you can budget around $1,000 per month in Chiang Mai because of the low cost of living.
Digital nomads looking for a more laid-back, less expensive option will love Chiang Mai. It offers a slower pace of life and plenty of opportunities to immerse yourself in Thai culture.
Digital Nomad Experience in Chiang Mai
As someone who primarily lived in the city and was called a “City Boy,” moving to Chiang Mai for a year was a daunting experience. However I want to experience a different lifestyle, but a place where I can work and travel at the same time. Chiang Mai popped into my head because of the many co-working spaces, better infrastructure, and a lower cost of living too.
Chiang Mai has a chilled and homey vibe with people smiling at you; people are very calm in how they speak and their actions. No one was ever in a hurry or rush to go from one place to another. Every road you travel on in Chiang Mai somehow always leads to Wats (Buddhist Temples), on the street, or even on the mountain top. The combination of culture and traditions with modern infrastructure perfectly blended with the way of life in Chiang Mai.
Furthermore, the working environment is super cool and motivating with its great co-working spaces and coffee shops in and around the city. Life is never dull, not for work but because of plenty of outdoor and indoor activities in Chiang Mai.
Digital Nomad: Work Places in Chiang Mai 2023
Popular Digital Nomad Co-working Spaces in Chiang Mai
The Hub
A co-working facility in Chiang Mai called The Hub is committed to community, experiential learning, and sustainability. However, The Hub embodies its beliefs, setting it apart from most other co-working spaces.
Since it uses only LED lights, this co-working space is environmentally friendly. But that’s not all. This co-working space is situated in a structure constructed out of 17 previous shipping containers! Nevertheless, I found it to be very cool.
However, at The Hub, you would need to purchase a day pass or have a monthly membership to access the various complimentary amenities they provide, such as coffee, food, internet, and more. A day pass at The Hub is 500 per baht, and a monthly membership fee is 5,000 Baht (USD 135)
Punspace
One of the most well-liked among digital nomads is The Punspace. You can pick one of the two locations—Punspace Tha Phae Gate or Punspace Wiang Kaew, both of which are in the city’s cultural core—based on your preferences. Everything a quality co-working space should have, including an excellent design, a great location, a private atmosphere, and free unlimited coffee, is available here. In addition, there is high-speed internet, very quiet arrangements, 24-hour service from Monday through Friday, chill areas, and private offices in addition to shared spaces.
Additionally, Punspace provides an outdoor garden area to work and relax. To rest and find the extra motivation, you can go onto the swing or lay down on the hammock to fully rest and get those brain juices flowing again.
Like The Hub, Punspace provides day passes and memberships starting at roughly 4,000 Baht (USD 105).
Hub53
If you are seeking a more traditional co-working space in Chiang Mai, Hub53 is the place to be. Hub53 is a warm community with friendly staff. You can find a generous community and friendly staff at Hub53, a co-working and co-living facility. The setting of the space is also pleasant. Even though the noisy Nimman Road is only a 10-minute walk away, Hub53 offers a calm and tranquil ambiance.
The most significant feature of Hub53, like any co-working space, is its work area. Hub53 features spacious desks and comfortable chairs so you can spread out all of your belongings. Additionally, the location provides complimentary coffee, tea, and snacks so you can stay energized all day.
But what you’ll appreciate about this area is that it was created to serve all of your needs.
For more information on different co-working spaces in Chiang Mai for digital nomads in Chiang Mai, visit here.
Coffee Shops in Chiang Mai
As co-working spaces in Chiang Mai provide coffee, food, fast internet connectivity, and in some locations, even beer, why would you want to visit or work in coffee shops in the city?
Because Chiang Mai produces one of the best coffee beans in Thailand and Southeast Asia, for a fantastic cup of coffee with a view of the surrounding mountains and a calm lifestyle, it’s a great way to get up in the morning and recharge and continue your day.
Below is a list of specialized coffee shops with roasting beans produced locally and excellent seating arrangements for digital nomads to work, chill, and relax in Chiang Mai. As a big coffee snob, I have visited all these coffee shops before in Chiang Mai.
Akha Ama Phrasing
Akha Ama Coffee is a unique coffee shop and cafe. Although it appears to be a stylish, fashionable coffee shop near Chiang Mai’s tourist attractions at first glance, there is much more to it than meets the eye.
Akha Ama is a social enterprise that works to empower the “Akha” hill tribe community in Northern Thailand, as the name suggests. More than 20 households from the Maejantai village are represented by the coffee collective known as Akha Ama. These families banded together to improve the social and financial benefits of farming, which is their primary source of income.
Go inside the wide open spaces, order an iced latte with milk from New Zealand, and be served a firm yet creamy foam of milk. At the same time, you are sitting on the 2nd floor on your computer to appreciate the surroundings of Chiang Mai city while you are working on your computer.
Ma-Chill
Ma-Chill coffee shop in English means to come and chill. As the name implies, this is the location if you want to unwind close to Chiang Mai’s Old Town. Excellent coffee from Northern Thailand is served at Ma-Chill, founded in December 2014 by the pair Kuk and Add. They also do the roasting themselves. They have a great range of cold brew coffee as well.
If you are like me, who likes to indulge in local ingredients when it comes to food and drinks, Ma-Chill is a fantastic place for robusta coffee in the late afternoon. It would help if you tried their espresso shot with local Chiang Mai beans.
Artisan Café
Not a metropolis as Bangkok, Chiang Mai coffee shops are a little different than in Bangkok City. Enter Arisan Cafe located in Nimmanhaemin district. It would help if you did not miss this coffee place because of its unique latte art and decor. In addition, it is enjoyable to watch and look at. Check out more coffee shops to visit in Chiang Mai here.
Popular Neighborhoods For Digital Nomad in Chiang Mai
The city of Chiang Mai is the second largest in Thailand. It’s been a popular destination for digital nomads and retirees for a while now. The best neighborhoods in Chiang Mai are Ban Sathaphon, Old City, and Nimmanhaemin.
Ban Sathaphone is the oldest part of the city, where you can find temples and markets that date back to the 14th century. Old City is where you’ll find many traditional Thai houses, and it is the city center of Chiang Mai.
Nimmanhaemin is a newer neighborhood with restaurants, bars, cafes, and boutique shops.
Apartments in Chiang Mai Neighborhoods
Chiang Mai is one of the most affordable cities in Thailand. It has a cost of living that is 30% lower than Bangkok. As a result, apartments in Chiang Mai are plentiful and provide all the amenities you would need as a digital nomad.
Old City and Nimmanhaemin are two popular neighborhoods in Chiang Mai. Old City is a historic district with many old temples and markets to explore. Nimmanhaemin is an up-and-coming area with many trendy cafes and restaurants to explore.
You can check out various websites to rent apartments in Chiang Mai at a very affordable price.
In Old City or the city center of Chiang Mai, you are right in the middle of all the action-packed markets, cultural sites, and fantastic coffee shops. On the other side of Nimmanhaemin, most of all modern co-working spaces and cafes are located in the area. So you would easily find places to work and meet like-minded people in Nimmanhaemin.
Apartments to rent in Chiang Mai are roughly 12,000 – 18,000 Baht monthly or (USD 313 – 470). There are cheaper apartments in Chiang Mai to rent. However, some places do not provide free WIFI or even have their own private kitchen. Apartments to rent around Old City and Nimmanhaemin are two of the most popular sites for digital nomads because of their affordability and desirable location to working spaces, cafes, and food markets.
Final Thoughts
Chiang Mai provides the ultimate paradise to digital nomads, from affordable apartments to rent, unique and fantastic co-working spaces to meet like-minded people, and lots of events and communities to join in Facebook for start-ups and entrepreneurs; the Chiang Mai is very well balanced.
There is so much to do in Chiang Mai and so many outdoor activities you can go to, from hiking up the mountains to going to the waterfall, biking around Old City, and more. Even indoor activities have many modern shopping malls, bowling alleys, movie theaters, and more.
Food and drink prices are very reasonable in Chiang Mai. For instance, their famous Kao Sai Kai (Chicken Curry Noodle) costs roughly a dollar with a beer of Singha, totaling $2.50. So for a monthly budget of 30,000 – 40,000 baht ($785 – $1,045), you can easily live your life to the fullest in Chiang Mai.
