Chiang Mai is a great foodie city, with a wide range of dining options and an even wider range of price points. It is possible to spend a single dollar on a good meal, and is seemingly difficult to spend $100.
For a guy who could eat Thai food every day for the rest of his life, I am in food heaven. Noodles, many different curries, tons of fresh tropical fruit, and Thai style tea and coffee are always within an easy walk.
We’ve done our best to explore the breadth in our 10 days and counting. This is what we’ve enjoyed so far.
Budget Meal
Every evening in the area surrounding the Chiang Mai Gate Market, food vendors come out en masse. Anything you have ever seen on a Thai menu is here somewhere. The environment reminded me a bit of a Taipei night market, but even more chaotic.
Chiang Mai Gate Night Market
Locals and travelers alike savor the wares; you are as likely to dine next to a person from Thailand as from Holland or China or the US.
Buffet Style Thai Delights
The environment is simple, with food carts, portable tables and plastic stools. This is reflected in the incredibly low prices.
Most of the food is made to order, as was our example dinner. It is great fun to watch the food preparation, and to speak with the owners. Socializing makes everything taste better.
Dinner: Tom Yum Soup & Phad Thai
Bill for dinner for 2:
Seafood Phad Thai: 35 THD (~$1)
Seafood Tom Yum Soup: 45 THB (~$1.25)
Mango Fruit Smoothie, not shown: 20 THB (~$0.55)
Total: 100 THB (<$3)
For the early risers, Thai style coffee (with condensed milk) is available for 15 THB (<$0.50) in the same location. For more upscale caffeine sources, check out this list of cafes on Nomadic Notes.
A Gentlemanly Coffee Break
Mid-range Meal
Most restaurants throughout the city offer Thai staples at reasonable prices. We’ve wandered into several as we explore the city. One example is the 3 Sis Cafe (also a B&B) across the street from Wat Chedi Luang. Prices were definitely on the high end, but the food was great and it was pretty.
Green Curry Chicken with Roti and Mango Shake
Khao Soi Gai with Fresh Coconut
Lunch for two:
Khao Soi Gai (coconut curry noodle soup with chicken): 150 THB (~$4.25)
Green Curry with Chicken & Roti: 150 THB (~$4.25)
Extra serving of Roti (it was really good!): 60 THB (~$1.75)
Coconut: 60 THB (~$1.75)
Mango Shake: 60 THB (~$1.75)
Total (with tax and service charge): 573 THB (~$16)
Similar meals can be had around town for 400 THB or less (~<$10)
Elsewhere in a random place that I hope we find again, we ordered a serving of Coconut & Thai Tea ice cream with peanuts for 30 THB (<$1.)
Coconut & Thai Tea Ice Cream
Living Large
One of our first meals in Chiang Mai was at the Ruen Tamarind Restaurant in the Tamarind Village Hotel. The hotel environment is gorgeous, as you would expect with single night rack rates that sometimes exceed our monthly rate of $375.
Fortunately, the restaurant prices are much more reasonable. And worth every penny.
Tamarind Village Hotel Entrance
Tamarind Village Hotel Driveway
The meal
Sawadee Jao & Fried Banana Chips
Tamarind Glazed Pork Ribs
Yellow Curry with Chicken
Shrimp with Salted Egg Yolk
The bill for 2 people:
Goong Pad Kai Kem – Shrimp with Salted Egg Yolk – 580 THB (~$16)
Gaeng Kari Gai – Yellow curry with chicken. Hands down the best curry I’ve ever had – 280 THB (~$8)
Glazed Pork Spare Ribs – fall off the bone tender tamarind glazed baby back ribs – 390 THB (~$11)
Tub Tim Grob – Dessert – Rubies (Red Water Chestnuts) in Coconut Milk – 180 THB (~$5)
Sawadee Jao – Drink – lemongrass & ginger infused vodka and gin, passion fruit, longan honey, lime juice. Heaven in a glass – 280 THB (~$8)
Total with tax & service charge – 2,071.50 THB (~$58 USD)
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As you can see, there is a wide range of dining options at every price tag and in every type of environment.
Budget conscious travelers have incredible options for just a few dollars per meal, and high end dining can be enjoyed for less than a trip to the Olive Garden in the United States.
Does this inspire Thai food cravings? Please consider tormenting your friends on Facebook or Twitter.
Happy Dining
Jeremy & Winnie, Go Curry Cracker!
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Do you have any Chiang Mai favorites? Where should we dine next?
Chiang Mai is one of my favorites as will. Enjoy and make sure to check out the hot springs one day.
Looks delicious! And SUCH good value :)
Would you say the “living large” meal is worth the cost? I get that for a 5 star meal, the price is still not that expensive by North American standards, but with so many cheap options, I can’t bring myself to pay North American prices, no matter where I am in Asia.
One of the reasons I share meals at 3 different price points is so you can decide this for yourself.
If we happen to eat a 5-star meal 2x per month, and spend $100 more on dining out than if we had eaten mid-range meals instead, then per the 4% Rule we need $30k invested to support this forever. Whether this is worth it probably depends on whether you think that is a big number or not.
Sign me up for the budget option!
We love love love pad thai and my home cooked pad thai looks exactly like your street food version, so job well done I guess (having a thai wife and tons of thai/laos Asian groceries within a mile or two certainly helps :) ). I bet your pad thai was a little more delicious though.
I need to get us to Thailand so we can try every single curry and noodle dish they have. It might take a month or a year to sample everything but it’s an arduous journey I’d love to undertake some day.
Now time for my boring American lunch… Pizza or BBQ?
There are popular pizza and bbq options in Chiang Mai too. We haven’t tried them yet, but we hear they are good
Great pics of the food! Food is always one if the hardest things to shoot. I can’t wait to get to Thailand and sample everything. Thanks for the delicious preview!
Incredible… I am going to have to get over my fear of flying, and quickly, because Thailand looks like it was made for a low-budget vegetarian such as myself.
You would definitely find many other low-budget vegetarians.
I started following your blog a few months ago and have found it to be completely inspiring. Thank you for sharing your experiences and knowledge! I have not done any international travel myself, but your insight has made me consider seeking out those opportunities for the future. I look forward to reading more!
Jim
Thanks Jim!
Thank you for sharing your food experiences. :)
Curious-is it pretty easy to order food? Do vendors speak English or is it more point at what you want?
Thai, English, Chinese… or point. All 4 options seem to work. Well, except Thai… nobody seems to understand our attempts at speaking Thai.
Great question Isabel.. Have never been to Thailand before, but very interesting to experience your travels. Thanks for sharing!!
As part of my “see-food” diet, I’d love going to Chiang Mai. Definitely a great place to eat like a king, while exercising some geo-arbitration. I’ll definitely add it to my list of places to visit.
Nice to know I’m not the only one that takes pictures of my food. :) Looks delish! People back here drive for miles for good Thai food. You have it right in your front yard, back yard, side yard…. Jealous.
Winnie is “that person” who takes pictures of every plate set in front of us :)
Tell her she’s doing a great job making us hungry. ;)
Ohhh man that all looks sooooo good! I lived with a Thai/Swiss family for a year and still miss all the great food. Biggest mistake of my life was turning down two weeks inThailand with their family. Hopefully some day soon I’ll make it there!
If that is the biggest life mistake, you are doing very well! ;)
As a foodie I’d love to go to Thailand and try out all of these options. Sign me up for the less expensive options. They look delicious. :)
Thanks so much for all this good reading on Chiang Mai! Have you had any negative experiences with food poisoning? Do you find that there’s a relationship between health and the price point of your meals? Thanks, Lauren
I’ve had food poisoning, but not in Thailand (~4 months of lifetime experience.)
Generally, all of the base ingredients come from the same markets. So no, I don’t see a big relationship between $ and health.
Wow! That looks incredible! I’m looking forward to the budget for the month. I think you may be living on less then what I pay in property tax! That’s another reason to sell everything and travel! Thanks for the update!
Thailand is the only place that I have traveled that I still daydream about the food. From their simple street food to the incredible sized king prawns, all cooked so deliciously, it still makes my mouth water!
It’s good to mix up what you eat at places (if your body can handle the less than 100% sanitary street food), I always enjoy eating stuff from stalls and trucks and the like. I think some of the most delicious foods are there… now I’m hungry for Thai food. :)
Best meal we had was at the Chiang Mai night market on the plastic stools!
Amazing pad Thai for next to nothing. Why bother going to the fancy places :)
Jeremy, I respectfully direct this question to you and to other folks in the FI community who have reached their goals: I realize that you have essentially won the game and earned the right to live a completely self-directed life by de-coupling your happiness from employment. And that’s awesome, and I can see why you would want to visit foreign countries, eat delicious food, and unwind with video games and George RR Martin. But, do you ever think most of what you’re doing is basically nonsense and a complete waste of your talent? (I am not talking about spending time with family; that is unquestionably worthwhile)
If really smart, nice, progressive engineers like you, Brandon at Mad Fi, Dr. Doom won’t save the planet, or fix broken systems, who the heck will? I am not talking about just being another cog in a corporate machine. I am talking about using your talent and experience and thoughtfulness to make the world a better place. Indeed, because you don’t need the money, you are free to speak truth to power and develop solutions that work — not just those that satisfy corporate or bureaucratic nonsense. And besides, wouldn’t that also be more fun?
Or… do you consider this blog to be your contribution to a better world? Helping people learn strategies so they can pay fewer taxes, retire sooner, and find happiness w/out eating too many of the world’s resources. You probably think I’m trolling, but I’m not… simply asking a contrarian question. Big fan of your blog which has personally helped me a lot… just seeing if this was all you had planned going forward. Thanks!
> do you ever think most of what you’re doing is basically nonsense and a complete waste of your talent?
Maybe I will write a post about this someday… but no, I’ve never had this thought.
I appreciate your interesting comment, which reminds me of the blog post on Mr. Money Mustache from a few years back, “What if Everyone Became Frugal?” http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2012/04/09/what-if-everyone-became-frugal/
I do think your concern is misplaced. As you mention, the blogs by FI pioneers like Jeremy are powerful. They are reaching thousands of people with ideas that are antithetical to the “corporate machine”. By this measure alone they are using their “talent and experience and thoughtfulness to make the world a better place.”
So then what happens to our society if lots and lots of smart, talented people follow Jeremy and Winnie’s example? What if they all choose to enjoy themselves with their own brand of “nonsense”, instead of using their financial independence to fix our broken world through more traditional avenues?
Like Mr. Money Mustache, I choose to imagine a positive outcome. With change on such a scale, there’s a paradigm shift. Maybe it turns out that direct “fixing” isn’t that effective anyway. Maybe not as much fixing is needed because a lot of unhappiness melts away. Perhaps there’s less competitiveness when talented, high-achieving types take a more meandering path – more play, less work. Less fear, less judgment, more “live and let live”. More honesty. Generosity flows more easily. There’s room for spontaneity, for serendipity. Creativity unfolds. Previously unseen solutions emerge. More thoughtful decisions get made. Authentic happiness and kindness have the space to take root and grow.
Thanks again for the thought-provoking comment!
who is john galt?
You have to understand that people like Jeremy are a minority in the engineering community. A very small minority. Most people are still working their butts off and they keep the engine running. Rather than hide away in paradise, the fact that Jeremy started this blog is absolutely great because it makes people think differently.
I am not retired yet, but I do worry about wasting my talent and experience if I stop working. The bigger worry is mental atrophy – will I find enough intellectually stimulating things to keep my brain active after I quit my job? Time will tell.
I know people who are highly educated and yet are stay-at-home parents. It would seem like a waste of talent, but its a personal choice towards one’s happiness. Nothing wrong with it.
I’m more concerned about wasting my potential. It would be a shame to lose my remaining 60+ years by continuing to do something I wasn’t passionate about, just because I had spent some time developing those skills and had experience.
I have too many other lives to live.
What a deal to be found in Thai. I can eat Thai food all day probably for the rest of my life.
Even after 3 or 4 weeks, I’m happy as can be eating Thai dishes for every meal (with an occasional pizza)
I love Khoa Soi. I used to eat that all the time when I was a kid. Glad to hear you’re enjoying Chiangmai. My dad lives there now. We’re planning to visit for 3-4 weeks next year.
Don’t miss Loi Kratong and Yi PIng. It will be great.
Wow! I love Thai food! Especially that phad Thai, what a great deal. So much cheaper and it probably tastes better too. I need to visit Thailand one day.
I found your website a few years ago when I was looking for a Indian restaurant in San Miguel de Allende and I have been following ever since. You’re an inspiration, my wife and I sold everything and hit the road last July. We are Currently in Chiang Mai, and leaving a few days, heading North and on to Laos. You’re right the food here is fabulous and your review and prices are accurate. Enjoy the land of smiles!
Tom, if you are still in CM and would like to grab a coffee, drop us an email, [email protected]
We discovered this “secret” spot from talking to a family of Kiwis who had lived in Chiang Mai for a few years.
a nice half day diversion. We also loved a laid back hippie feeling town called Pai with some cool geo features like natural water slides and the Pai Canyon.
Are you guys rolling 3 deep on mopeds like the locals?
One thing I notice – only at the most expensive meal did you have alcohol. Obviously eschewing alcohol saves a ton of money and calories. When I was traveling alone I often skipped it for both monetary and safety reasons. May I ask about yours? Does Crossfit play a role in the decisions?
Ever since we started the IVF process, our intoxicant of choice has shifted more towards caffeine or sleep. Drinks at dinner don’t fit very well while breast feeding or juggling a baby. So it is more parenting than exercise related.
That said, I’m still ranking the local beers.
1. Lao (not really Thai, but at least regional)
2. Singha
3. Chang
To be tested: Leo, and Tiger
Hey, thanks for your reviews! Timely, as we are going to be in Chiang Mai the 20-24th of this month and ironically are staying at 3Sis. :)
Welcome to CM. Great location, great food
Hi guys – I found your blog through a link from Root of Good. I’m also of Taiwanese descent, mid-30’s, married, with a baby on the way (also thanks to miracles of IVF). We’re big travelers too, having taken a year off in 2011 to travel around the world and film a documentary. We’re working towards FI and plan to both stop working by 2018 so that we can travel and do the things we love. Anyways, I’ve subscribed to your blog and look forward to following your journey and getting your advice on how to travel with a baby. We’re planning on spending a month road-tripping in an RV with the baby during my maternity leave next summer, so need all the tips we can get!
Hi Jenni
Sounds like a great plan! We also have ambitions to RV around the US.
Also take a look at bumfuzzle.com. It is the blog of 2 Americans whose current adventure is living in an RV in Mexico with their two children.
Checked out the bumfuzzle blog. Thanks for the reco! Not sure we are ambitious enough to be retrofitting our own vintage RV, but love that these guys are on a multi-year adventure with their two young kids. Happy 2016!
Hi Guys,
I just wanted to know that your blog inspired me to make some new personal finance goals myself. I’m hoping to get caught up on your site soon.
Awesome, Jared! You’ve taken the first step, it just gets easier.
Good luck!
Jeremy
Hi Jeremy, merry, merry, and happy, happy to you and Winnie and your sweet little guy (oh, no, I forgot his name). Was great to meet you guys and have lunch one day in Chiang Mai.
Love your lifestyle, energy, and approach to life. All the best in 2016 and beyond.
Terrance
Merry Christmas Terrence. Great meeting you too, and good luck with your next adventure.
Jeremy, Winnie, and Julian (aka Cookie aka GCCjr)
I’ll be visiting Chiang Mai next month so this is a timely guide. I’ll be sure to check out some of the places you mentioned. Thanks!