The old city is compact and flat — most things inside the moat are walkable, and bicycles can be rented by the day from guesthouses for 50 to 100 baht. The moat road is good for cycling.
Songthaews (shared red pickup trucks) are the main form of local transport. They run fixed routes but will deviate for a negotiated price. A shared ride within the city costs around 30 to 40 baht per person; a chartered songthaew for a short trip is around 100 to 150 baht. Tuk-tuks operate similarly. Metered taxis do exist but are less common than in Bangkok.
Motorbike rental is widely available and popular for day trips to Doi Suthep or the surrounding countryside. An international driving licence is technically required. Grab (the regional equivalent of Uber) operates in Chiang Mai and is a reliable, metered alternative to negotiating with tuk-tuk drivers.