Spotting your most suitable Chiang Mai apartments for rent is not as easy as you think! Dreaming about a knock-out view of rolling mountains and infinity pool on planning your amazing travel places in Thailand.
- Recently Updated: April 2022
But before you take the plunge, consider the types of properties that pretty much works for you, your spouse, family or being the go-to guy organizing Chiang Mai hotels accommodation for your colleagues.
Now, the not so good stuffs…if it’s your first time looking for apartments in Chiang Mai, you might be pondering at utilities expenses like electricity, water bill and other hidden costs.
Here’s my honest Chiang Mai apartment renting guide focusing on where to live, best Chiang Mai attractions that you have to visit and of course the realities and costs of living.
Tips:
- My best recommendation for month or longer apartment stay is to book those rentals in your wish list for a week or so.
- Most of the apartments are listed on AirBNB and leading online booking platforms.
- Start to feel the accommodation as well as the property. Get acquainted with the owner, management, long term stayers and neighborhood before making your decision.
- If you book the apartment via AirBNB, write a million dollar review on your stay there to get the owner or management attentions.
- After you have decided which apartment fits your checklist, approach the owner or management to negotiate a longer stay deal.
- You’ll be surprise that it cost cheaper if you follow my tricks that actually works for me rather then making a haste choice.
“Almost all apartment rentals comes with a minimum stay of six months to a year at a good rates. Anything lesser than a month will cost you the same as staying in apartments listed on booking.com for example.
Also, consider peak and non peak season whereby rental cost might be different, depending on the areas. Finding your choice apartment might be even more trickier on peak season”
If you wish to discover the best time to visit Chiang Mai and soak in the surroundings or to know more about cheap transportation food & delivery, check out my other post below.
Where to book your apartment rentals in Chiang Mai?
Nimman (Nimmanhaemin)
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I’m a totally true blue Nimman guy! It’s like my home away from home, and my world stretches from MAYA Lifestyle Shopping Mall to the mountain range of Doi Suthep.
This neighborhood has pretty much continue to be my oyster. It’s alive with restaurants, cafés, pubs, shops and all the essentials that you require.
This is an area of Chiang Mai where most blogs will tell you that you have to stay as a long term traveler or ideally for digital nomads.
You get a lot of your western comforts here and I think the general vibe of the place is a little bit Californian.
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Tons of healthy salad bars, best mountain coffee latte and you’ve got quirky cool coffee shops as well. Try to mingle with the expat-friendly community and you’ll be totally delighted for the range of apartments available here.
PROS:
- Upmarket shopping
- Dazzling entertainment & nightlife
- Near airport
- Great Internet service
- Near Doi Suthep
CONS:
- Fewer attractions
- High traffic at rush hour
- Crop burning season March-April
“Everything nice!!!!! staff were excellent – very kind and flexible. The food is fantastic, great swimming pool, the room stay was clean. I would definitely stay here again if I were to return to Chiang Mai”
Maya Shopping Mall. It’s got all of the big chain clothes shops and restaurants as you would expect from a modern shopping mall.
There’s a shop at the fourth floor that sells household and essential products for 60 baht a pop.
There’s also a great co-working space community and also a really cool rooftop viewing point which is great for watching sunset.
Located on the top floor, is a modern cinema with all the latest western releases in English. Standard ticket costing only 280 baht.
Going to see a football game in Chiang Mai is a great experience for a number of reasons. Firstly, ticket is only going to cost you 120 baht which is cheaper than going to the cinema.
You can buy drinks and food outside the stadium and they let you take it inside as well. So a giant 1 litre bottle of beer cost 60 baht.
The crowd inside is made up of locals and some really passionate expats too.
- Cheap Dine-in options from Grab Food and Foodpanda delivery app.
- Maya mall have two amazing food courts which serve really affordable local food and drinks.
- Great cafe options for you to chill out. Tons of street food and restaurants.
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Hong Tauw Inn
95/17-18 Nantawan Arcade, Nimman Rd, Chiang Mai 50000
Tel. (053) 218 333
Mix Restaurant & Bar
Soi 1, Nimmanhemin, Chiang Mai
Tel. 66 53-216878
Beer Republic
28 Nimmana Haeminda Lane 11, Suthep, Chiang Mai 50200
Tel. 081 531 4765
The Duke’s: American style eateries. Maya Shopping Mall, Open: 10:30-23:30, Tel: (053) 249 231.
Check out where I live...
Dcondo Campus Resort
A totally cool oasis surrounded by lush nature and beside Doi Suthep mountain, somewhere to totally unwind and relax. It’s quite minimal sort of perfect size for solo travel or 2 person to live here.
The unit a nice bright space with a dining area which doubles up as a sort of desk when you want to work.
Main features with fast Internet. Got a nice double bed. The kitchen is quite basic. Bathroom with shower. And a balcony which kind of function for drying clothes.
And let’s not forget the amazing mountain views from the main window too. The property is just a bit further up from Nimman.
The location is at an area called Suthep, so it’s about 15 minutes drive from the city center. Approx 100 baht with Grab Chauffeur booking.
Suthep is best known for the mountain top Doi Suthep Temple which you can actually see from the apartment’s window.
Nevertheless, locally it’s also known as the home of Chiang Mai University and its sprawling green campus.
On the opposite side of the University campus is the Chiang Mai Complex which is another student market but more focused around clothes and technology.
It’s not all good news if you’re looking for some nightlife or a pub at the end of the day. You’re not going to find that here in Suthep so if you’re looking for a pubbing environment, you have to head out to the city or to nearby Nimman.
Nimman is only a 10 minute drive from the apartment and it’s undoubtedly the coolest area in Chiang Mai. For me personally though,
I’m quite happy to live in Suthep. All you need is a Grab booking app and Foodpanda app for food delivery.
Both booking platforms are super affordable like 100 baht for chauffeur limo around Chiang Mai and a complete meal from tons of restaurants and street food vendors listed in the app.
Riding Funicular Cable car up to Wat Phra Doi Suthep. Wheelchair accessible.
Chiang Mai Zoo, Aquarium and Panda House located at Doi Suthep foothills
Zoo Entrance Fee:
- 150 THB adults
- 70 THB kids
- Free under 2 years old.
Aquarium Entrance Fee:
- 180 THB adults
- 120 THB kids
- Free under 2 years old
Panda House Entrance Fee:
- 100 THB adults
- 50 THB kids
- Free under 2 year old
What Suthep may lack in nightlife, completely makes up for in the shape of nature with amazing sunrise and sunset watching.
The mountain park is one of the top attractions in Chiang Mai. Doi Suthep Temple which is a major tourist site with some beautiful views over the city.
But if you want to experience this sacred mountain without the hoards of tourists, there is a trail you can take which takes only 5 minutes from the property.
It’s like your morning workout as it’s not the easiest route to hike and it’s best to do it in the early morning to avoid the heat.
Once you’ve finished your hike, head out to the main road and flag down a Songthao which is the red pickup taxi and they can take you either up to Doi Suthep or back down to the bottom again.
Oasis Spa Chiang Mai
The gentle, highly skilled therapists at Oasis Spa use advanced therapies and natural products to make you feel good.
102 Sirimanklajarn Rd., Suthep, Chiang Mai 50200. Tel: (053) 920 111
Wat Pha Lat Temple
Pha Lat temple is unlike any temple you’ve ever seen. Set amongst the trees and over a waterfall, It’s really like something out of a fantasy film.
If you need to know all the top attractions and best places to visit in Chiang Mai, check out my post below:-
Cheap Dine-in options from Grab Food and Foodpanda delivery app. Living in a studently area has a lot of benefits. I spend a lot of my time working from cafes and drinking copious amounts of coffee.
There are a lot of coffee shops all over Chiang Mai but honestly, I like the small local cafes in the Suthep neighborhood because they are less crowded and a little bit cheaper as well.
My favorite thing to do in Suthep only opens at night. So I’ll be out on the main road looking for my favorite street food meal.
The coolest thing about this place is that in the evening this whole road turns into the most amazing street food market.
Fresh Thai street food that’s displayed right in front of you including fresh fruit smoothies, sushi and even steak shacks.
While a lot of the options are fast food, there are some healthy options too. So yeah, I did find myself coming here most evenings to eat.
I don’t think I’ve ever spent more than 100 baht for dinner which is very good for the travel budget.
Palaad Tawanron
This nearby popular restaurant boasts an unbeatable spot on the foothills on Suthep. It’s located just behind the university campus.
Th Suthep | Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai
Tel (053) 216 039
Galae Restaurant
The northern food restaurant is set upon rows of flower gardens. It’s like dinning on a bed of roses.
Suthep Road, Chiang Mai
Tel. 66 (0) 5327 8655
How much is my apartment in Chiang Mai?
So how much does this all cost? Well, I’ve got this apartment for US$580 a month after negotiating with the friendly owner directly.
You can easily get to know the owner or management when you first arrive on your booking with AirBNB or any other online booking platform.
And that includes professional cleaning every week as well as unlimited gym and pool access. Which is a pretty good deal. If you’re staying more long term though, it’s much easier to get yourself even a better deal.
I’ve met some long term stayers in the same building who are only paying around USD$300 for a month. I highly recommend living in the Suthep neighborhood which keeps you close to all of the best places and attractions near the city.
Nevertheless, it’s not totally that far to most of the top attractions. At the same time, Dcondo Campus Resort is close to nature and stunning mountain view from your apartment.
The coolest part is you can explore Doi Suthep just a few steps away from the property which make this one of Chiang Mai’s apartments top rental choice.
