Cost of Living Comparison Between Amagasaki and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Amagasaki and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,238 in Amagasaki versus $869 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,936 in Amagasaki versus $1,362 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,633 in Amagasaki versus $1,855 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Amagasaki is roughly 43% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Amagasaki 8% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.09 ¥1,134

$1.98 ฿64.3

258.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.91 ¥5,583

$18.80 ฿612

85.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.33 ¥853

$7.75 ฿252

-31.23%

Cappuccino

$3.16 ¥506

$1.92 ฿62.5

64.58%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 ¥169

$0.79 ฿25.79

34.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥130

$0.36 ฿11.62

125.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 ¥426

$2.21 ฿72.1

20.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ¥509

$3.66 ฿119

-13.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 ¥253

$1.65 ฿53.8

-4.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.63 ฿53.2

-2.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.86 ¥778

$1.19 ฿38.86

308.40%

Eggs

$2.30 ¥367

$2.00 ฿65.1

15.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.15 ¥1,623

$15.98 ฿520

-36.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.40 ¥1,024

$3.03 ฿98.5

111.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.41 ¥2,464

$10.86 ฿354

41.90%

Apples (1kg)

$5.46 ¥874

$2.76 ฿90.0

97.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 ¥420

$1.18 ฿38.42

122.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 ¥649

$1.64 ฿53.5

147.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.75 ¥920

$1.52 ฿49.51

278.29%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 ¥502

$1.38 ฿45.10

127.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 ¥429

$1.19 ฿38.84

125.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 ¥220

$0.70 ฿22.86

97.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥144

$0.56 ฿18.13

60.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 ¥674

$4.58 ฿149

-8.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.47 ¥1,195

$16.56 ฿539

-54.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ¥297

$1.83 ฿59.5

1.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ¥359

$3.20 ฿104

-29.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 ¥265

$0.88 ฿28.56

88.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.8 ¥8,930

$18.72 ฿610

198.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥540

$1.36 ฿44.16

148.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.03 ¥484

$1.34 ฿43.65

126.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.54 ¥3,284

$7.84 ฿256

161.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥197

$1.23 ฿39.92

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$23.1K ¥3.7M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

6.74%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$17.6K ¥2.8M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-21.99%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$141 ¥22.5K

$70.5 ฿2,298

99.18%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$27.50 ¥4,398

$13.68 ฿445

101.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.49 ¥5,517

$17.45 ฿568

97.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 ¥8,770

$41.33 ฿1,346

32.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.97 ¥2,235

$6.96 ฿227

100.72%

Cinema Ticket

$12.47 ¥1,994

$5.77 ฿188

116.12%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$287 ¥45.9K

$307 ฿10.0K

-6.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K ¥2.1M

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-8.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.38 ¥6,939

$55.8 ฿1,817

-22.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.56 ¥4,727

$26.21 ฿854

12.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.1 ¥9,617

$85.8 ฿2,793

-29.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 ¥14.7K

$72.2 ฿2,353

27.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$463 ¥74.1K

$430 ฿14.0K

7.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 ¥52.1K

$239 ฿7,774

36.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$868 ¥138.8K

$817 ฿26.6K

6.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 ¥103.5K

$511 ฿16.6K

26.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,222 ¥675.2K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

112.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,602 ¥416.2K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

75.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,896 ¥463.2K

$619 ฿20.2K

368.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.78

-64.40%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Amagasaki: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $463 in Amagasaki and $430 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Amagasaki pays 368% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Amagasaki vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $317 vs $241 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Amagasaki vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Amagasaki and Chiang Mai differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($1,238 vs $869 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Amagasaki pays 368% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $463 in Amagasaki versus $430 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Amagasaki. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $35.00 in Amagasaki. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $869 in Chiang Mai versus $1,238 in Amagasaki, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Amagasaki. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Amagasaki and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Amagasaki. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.