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Wildcat Muay Thai

Budgeting a long stay in Chiang Mai: what months on a DTV really cost

Chiang Mai, on a DTV visa: the honest numbers, from someone who runs the camp.

The short answer

What a long stay on a DTV costs

A disciplined month of full-time Muay Thai in Chiang Mai (training, a room, food, and a scooter) lands around 33,000–35,000 THB (roughly $1,000 at the low end) when you arrange every piece yourself. Bundled into our Stay & Train package, that same month is 28,000 THB with only food and petrol on top. Either way it is cheaper than Phuket or Bangkok, and it is the kind of stay the DTV (Destination Thailand Visa) is built to make legal for six to twelve months and beyond.

Want the country-wide picture first, before we zoom in on a long DTV stay? See our full cost breakdown across camps and cities: Muay Thai training cost guide (2026).

Below you will find the real numbers, a city-by-city comparison, and a budget estimator so you can plan your own month. I'm Meaw. I run Wildcat, and I personally handle our trainees' DTV files on WhatsApp. the DTV visa, explained.

— Meaw Boonpradub, founder of Wildcat

Before the budget

What 6–12 months of training in Chiang Mai actually looks like

A typical training week

Most long-stay trainees run two sessions a day (a technical morning and a harder evening on pads, bag, and clinch) five to six days a week, with Sunday off. Sparring stays progressive, and the vibe is open-air garden and shade, not a dark gym. Every level is welcome, from your first day to fight-ready.

How your body and skill progress over months

Weeks one to four are adaptation: sore legs, conditioning, and the basics of stance and rhythm. Months two and three add volume, real clinch work, and your first controlled sparring. From month four onward, trainees who want it can look at a local fight, a possibility we help with, never a promise. fighters who trained here.

Who comes for the long haul

Traveling athletes, people between chapters, and remote workers who pair their laptop with two sessions a day. You will train under our Thai coaches alongside fighters who came up here. our Thai coaches.

The numbers

The real monthly budget, broken down

Here is the cost of training in Chiang Mai, line by line. Training prices are our real public rates; everything else is a typical Chiang Mai range for planning.

Training at Wildcat (real prices)

For a long stay, the monthly unlimited pass is your baseline; the fighter program is the step up if you train twice a day, every day. Our full public training rates live on the classes page.

Drop-in, per session 350 THB
10-class pack 3,000 THB
Monthly, once a day 4,000 THB
Monthly unlimited 5,000 THB
Fighter program, per month 7,000 THB
Private session 800–1,000 THB

our full public training rates.

Accommodation

A basic studio near the camp runs about 6,000–9,000 THB a month; a comfort condo with pool and gym lands around 14,000–20,000 THB. If you would rather not rent at all, our Stay & Train package already includes a private room in a shared house, bills included.

Food

Eating mostly Thai street food (around 60 THB a meal) keeps you near 6,000 THB a month; leaning western pushes you toward 15,000 THB.

Scooter & getting around

A rented scooter is about 3,000 THB a month, plus petrol. It's the standard way to get to the camp and around Chiang Mai. We rent them at the camp.

Extras

Budget roughly 2,000 THB a month for gear, recovery massage, a SIM, insurance, and a little leisure, more if you travel on rest days.

Putting it together: a ~33,000–35,000 THB monthly floor

Add it up and a disciplined full-time month starts around 33,000–35,000 THB when you arrange everything yourself. The longer you stay, the more that number settles, and the bundled route sits below it.

If you'd rather have one number instead of six, our Stay & Train package is 28,000 THB a month with the room, the training and a motorbike in it. Food and petrol are the only things left on top.

Chiang Mai vs Phuket vs Bangkok

Of the three, Chiang Mai is the most affordable. Phuket camps run pricier and the island lifts your cost of living; Bangkok studio rents push your budget up fast. For a long haul on a budget, Chiang Mai gives the best balance of training and price.

Our Stay & Train package

One monthly price, and the room, the training, a motorbike and your airport pick-up are all inside it. You cover your food and your petrol, nothing else.

28,000 THB

per person, per month

Ask about Stay & Train

What's included

  • A private room in a shared house, air conditioned, all bills included.
  • Unlimited pro fight training: two sessions a day, seven days a week, gloves and wraps loaned.
  • A motorbike for the whole stay, so you come and go on your own time.
  • Airport pick-up: send us your flight and someone is there when you land.

Not included

  • Meals. Local food is cheap and everywhere around the camp, and we'll point you to the good spots.
  • Petrol for the motorbike.
Plan your month

Estimate your monthly budget

Pick a duration, a training formula, and a place to stay, and we'll show a realistic monthly range plus a total for your whole stay. Training prices are our real Wildcat rates; living costs are typical Chiang Mai ranges. It's a range, not a quote.

A realistic monthly budget

~20,000–33,500 THB / month

(~$580–$972)

Estimated total for your stay: ~20,000–33,500 THB

This is an estimate to help you plan, not a quote. Training prices are our real public rates; living costs are typical Chiang Mai ranges and will vary with your lifestyle.

Trained here ★★★★★
Coming here as a beginner to Muay Thai, this gym and all the staff were amazing and accommodating! I would highly recommend it to anyone thinking about giving Muay Thai a go!
Doiminic
Common questions

Long-stay training FAQ

How much does it cost to train Muay Thai in Thailand per month?
A full-time month in Chiang Mai (training, a room, food, and a scooter) runs about 33,000–35,000 THB à la carte, or 28,000 THB with our Stay & Train package, which already holds the room, the training and a motorbike. Use the estimator above to plan your own number, since accommodation and lifestyle move the total.
Is Chiang Mai or Phuket cheaper for Muay Thai training?
Chiang Mai. Phuket's camps tend to charge more and the island's cost of living is higher, so the same month costs noticeably less in Chiang Mai.
How much money do you need to live and train for a year?
Budget roughly 33,000–35,000 THB a month across twelve months if you arrange everything yourself, and plan for the DTV's 500,000 THB proof-of-funds requirement on top. Our Stay & Train package brings the monthly figure to 28,000 THB with the room, the training and a motorbike in it.
Are there discounts for long stays?
Yes. Long-stay discounts of 20–40% are common on training. The exact rate depends on how long you commit, so message us for your number.

Last reviewed: June 2026

Six months goes fast —

Planning a long stay? Ask us anything.

Tell us your dates and your budget, and we'll sketch your stay with you.

Evening training session at the Wildcat camp