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: $1,235 in Amagasaki versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,946 in Amagasaki versus $1,360 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,657 in Amagasaki versus $1,867 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Amagasaki is roughly 45% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Amagasaki 7% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.95 ¥1,095

$2.04 ฿68.2

240.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.99 ¥5,514

$18.71 ฿624

87.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.45 ¥858

$7.86 ฿262

-30.66%

Cappuccino

$3.19 ¥503

$2.03 ฿67.7

57.14%

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

$1.05 ¥165

$0.80 ฿26.64

31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥121

$0.35 ฿11.68

120.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 ¥417

$2.14 ฿71.5

23.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ¥488

$3.67 ฿122

-15.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥244

$1.73 ฿57.6

-10.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ¥243

$1.57 ฿52.4

-1.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.75 ¥748

$1.20 ฿39.99

295.83%

Eggs

$2.27 ¥358

$1.97 ฿65.8

15.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.92 ¥1,563

$16.23 ฿541

-38.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 ¥1,022

$3.06 ฿102

111.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.22 ¥2,398

$10.80 ฿360

40.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.41 ¥853

$2.77 ฿92.3

95.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 ¥396

$1.17 ฿38.94

114.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.96 ¥624

$1.71 ฿57.0

131.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.99 ¥944

$1.59 ฿53.2

276.73%

Potato (1kg)

$3.02 ¥475

$1.39 ฿46.51

117.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 ¥423

$1.16 ฿38.56

131.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥220

$0.66 ฿22.05

110.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥138

$0.52 ฿17.31

69.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ¥661

$4.65 ฿155

-9.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 ¥1,254

$17.78 ฿593

-55.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥291

$1.79 ฿59.6

3.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 ¥351

$3.34 ฿111

-33.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 ¥261

$0.91 ฿30.27

82.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.5 ¥8,584

$18.64 ฿622

192.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 ¥554

$1.41 ฿47.04

149.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 ¥476

$1.34 ฿44.70

125.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.49 ¥3,228

$8.11 ฿270

152.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥189

$1.23 ฿41.16

-2.44%

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

$23.4K ¥3.7M

$21.4K ฿715.1K

8.94%

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

$17.5K ¥2.8M

$21.8K ฿728.0K

-20.02%

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

$142 ¥22.4K

$71.3 ฿2,379

99.45%

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

$27.19 ¥4,284

$14.01 ฿467

94.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.07 ¥5,368

$17.93 ฿598

90.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 ¥8,703

$40.82 ฿1,362

35.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.11 ¥2,223

$6.88 ฿230

105.09%

Cinema Ticket

$12.32 ¥1,941

$5.72 ฿191

115.38%

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

$279 ¥43.9K

$308 ฿10.3K

-9.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-9.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.25 ¥6,814

$55.8 ฿1,860

-22.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.08 ¥4,582

$26.04 ฿869

11.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.2 ¥9,636

$84.8 ฿2,829

-27.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 ¥14.6K

$71.0 ฿2,368

30.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 ¥75.2K

$423 ฿14.1K

12.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 ¥52.7K

$242 ฿8,088

37.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$878 ¥138.3K

$797 ฿26.6K

10.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$657 ¥103.5K

$507 ฿16.9K

29.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,821 ¥759.6K

$1,918 ฿64.0K

151.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,327 ¥366.7K

$1,464 ฿48.8K

58.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,861 ¥450.8K

$595 ฿19.9K

380.78%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Amagasaki and $423 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Amagasaki pays 381% 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 $315 vs $244 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 45% in total monthly costs ($1,235 vs $852 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 381% higher in Amagasaki, 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: $477 in Amagasaki versus $423 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% 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 $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,235 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 45% less than in Amagasaki. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.