Cost of Living: Batumi vs Chiang Mai (2026)

Batumi is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $461/month there vs $463/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Batumi is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Batumi has a rate of 2.33 per 100,000 and Chiang Mai has 4.79 per 100,000.

Batumi and Chiang Mai are almost suspiciously well-matched. Flip a coin. See the full comparison above for rent, safety, internet speed, climate, and democracy scores to decide which city fits your priorities.

Batumi: Remotely from Georgia (easy to get, Up to 1 year). Chiang Mai: Thailand LTR Visa (complex process, 10 years). See each city's profile page for full requirements.

Chiang Mai is warmer in summer (88°F vs 79°F). Batumi has milder summers, which suits those who prefer cooler weather. Climate preference is personal — use the weather section above to compare seasons.

Batumi is easier for street-level English (39/100) than Chiang Mai (7/100). That's the score that matters for doctors, landlords, and bureaucracy. Office English can still run higher than street English in both cities.

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $461/month in Batumi, $463/month in Chiang Mai (Numbeo). Rent is basically identical between the two.

Chiang Mai scores 6.3/10 on the EIU Democracy Index vs 4.7/10 for Batumi. Both are functional democracies, though the gap matters if you're planning to stay long enough to care about local politics.

Chiang Mai scores higher on our composite healthcare index (73/100 vs 63/100 for Batumi). That score combines clinical outcomes (IHME), universal coverage (WHO), and resident perception (Numbeo) — not just whether hospitals exist but whether the system actually works for settlers.