Childcare in Chiang Mai is one of the categories where the cost-of-living difference vs. the US, UK, or Singapore is most dramatic. A full-time experienced nanny who would cost $4,000+/month in San Francisco runs $700 to $1,500/month here. A bilingual daycare that would cost $2,500+/month in London runs $500 to $1,000.
This guide walks through the three main childcare options, what each actually costs, how to vet, and the visa considerations that catch families out.
The three main options
- Nanny (day or live-in). One-on-one, your home, the most flexible. Best for newborns, infants, and toddlers; also for school-age kids needing after-school care.
- Daycare or preschool. Center-based, structured, peer socialization. Best for toddlers and preschool kids (2 to 5).
- Au pair or mother's helper. Hybrid arrangement, often a young person living with the family in exchange for part-time childcare and a small allowance.
Many families use a combination: daycare 3 mornings a week + a part-time nanny for afternoons, or full-time nanny + parent-and-me classes for socialization.
Nannies
Day nanny
Comes to your home 5 to 6 days a week, 8 to 10 hours per day. Cooks lunches for the kid, plays, naps, manages the daily rhythm. Usually doesn't live with you. Goes home evenings.
- Thai-speaking nanny: ฿15,000 to ฿28,000/month for 5 days a week. ฿20,000 to ฿35,000/month for 6 days.
- English-speaking nanny: ฿25,000 to ฿45,000/month. Some Burmese and Filipino nannies in this pool with English plus their first language.
- Western-trained / qualified early-years professional: ฿35,000 to ฿55,000/month. Rarer, often with formal early-childhood credentials.
Live-in nanny
Lives in your home, usually with their own room. One day off per week (typically Sunday). Provides round-the-clock support but with proper rest and personal time. Costs include salary + room + board.
- Salary: ฿18,000 to ฿35,000/month (Thai-speaking), ฿30,000 to ฿55,000/month (English-speaking).
- Total cost including food and electricity: typically ฿25,000 to ฿65,000/month all-in.
Live-in works best in homes with a separate guest suite or maid's quarters. Many Hang Dong, Mae Rim, and Saraphi homes are designed for this. Condos rarely have the space.
Where to find a nanny
- Agencies. 2 to 4 reputable nanny agencies serve the expat market in Chiang Mai. Vetting and reference-checking handled. Agency fee: typically 1 month of salary, payable on hire. Replacement guarantee usually 1 to 3 months.
- Chiang Mai Moms and Expat Families Facebook groups. Direct hire. Families often post when their nanny is leaving or has flex hours. Cheaper than agency but you do the vetting yourself.
- Word of mouth. The highest signal. A nanny whose family is moving away, or who's flexible to add another family, comes via referral. Most long-term expat families hire this way.
- Departing families. Worth asking expat-family contacts whose nanny might be looking for a new family if the current one is leaving Thailand.
Vetting a nanny
- Two references from previous employers. Call them. Ask specific questions: What did the nanny do well? What was hard? Why did the arrangement end?
- Trial week before committing. Pay full daily rate for the trial week. Watch how the nanny is with your kid.
- Background and ID check. Thai national ID, work history. Foreign nannies (Burmese, Filipino) need legal work status; verify documents.
- First aid and CPR. Ask. If not, ask if they're willing to take a course (offered at most private hospitals for ฿1,500 to ฿3,000).
- Clarify expectations in writing. Hours, days, duties (cooking? laundry? errands?), salary, paid leave, holidays, what happens if the kid is sick.
Daycare and preschool
Local Thai daycares
Cheapest option, ฿5,000 to ฿12,000/month. Most serve a Thai working-class clientele. Care is genuine and warm but the curriculum is light and the language is Thai. Best for families committed to bilingual immersion, or for the cost-conscious with toddlers who don't need a Western-style early-years curriculum.
Bilingual daycares
The middle ground. ฿15,000 to ฿35,000/month. English and Thai used in parallel; teachers and assistants mixed. Half-day, full-day, or extended options. Most expat-family daycares fall here.
Common locations: Nimman, Hang Dong, Mae Rim, San Sai. Programs vary widely; visit before enrolling.