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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,231 in Aomori versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,931 in Aomori versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,630 in Aomori versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Aomori is roughly 42% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.05 ¥1,130

$1.94 ฿63.8

263.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.28 ¥5,655

$18.64 ฿611

89.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.40 ¥865

$7.82 ฿256

-30.95%

Cappuccino

$3.11 ¥498

$1.95 ฿64.1

59.49%

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

$1.10 ¥176

$0.85 ฿27.88

29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥120

$0.35 ฿11.63

114.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.64 ¥423

$2.13 ฿69.9

23.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ¥505

$3.73 ฿122

-15.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥255

$1.71 ฿56.2

-7.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 ¥247

$1.63 ฿53.4

-5.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.72 ¥756

$1.14 ฿37.30

314.04%

Eggs

$2.21 ¥354

$1.93 ฿63.4

14.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.11 ¥1,620

$16.21 ฿532

-37.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.28 ¥1,007

$3.12 ฿102

101.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.42 ¥2,472

$10.90 ฿357

41.47%

Apples (1kg)

$5.41 ¥867

$2.75 ฿90.3

96.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.61 ¥419

$1.21 ฿39.68

115.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 ¥653

$1.62 ฿53.2

151.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.02 ¥964

$1.59 ฿52.0

278.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 ¥505

$1.40 ฿45.89

125.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 ¥423

$1.17 ฿38.32

125.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥223

$0.66 ฿21.69

110.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥144

$0.53 ฿17.29

69.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ¥683

$4.69 ฿154

-9.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.27 ¥1,326

$18.66 ฿612

-55.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥305

$1.80 ฿59.0

5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 ¥357

$3.23 ฿106

-30.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 ¥266

$0.90 ฿29.37

84.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.4 ¥9,045

$19.21 ฿630

193.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ¥559

$1.41 ฿46.10

147.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.97 ¥477

$1.29 ฿42.29

130.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.58 ¥3,298

$7.84 ฿257

162.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥179

$1.27 ฿41.75

-11.81%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$21.3K ฿697.7K

10.66%

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

$17.1K ¥2.7M

$22.2K ฿728.3K

-22.93%

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

$142 ¥22.7K

$69.1 ฿2,265

105.02%

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

$27.60 ¥4,424

$14.08 ฿462

96.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.71 ¥5,404

$18.00 ฿590

87.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 ¥9,013

$41.06 ฿1,346

36.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.86 ¥2,221

$6.96 ฿228

99.14%

Cinema Ticket

$12.63 ¥2,025

$5.92 ฿194

113.34%

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

$278 ¥44.5K

$299 ฿9,805

-7.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$15.0K ฿490.3K

-11.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.77 ¥6,856

$54.7 ฿1,794

-21.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.97 ¥4,804

$26.77 ฿878

11.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.9 ¥9,442

$85.0 ฿2,787

-30.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 ¥14.8K

$70.6 ฿2,315

31.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 ¥74.0K

$428 ฿14.0K

7.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 ¥53.6K

$237 ฿7,782

40.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$868 ¥139.1K

$801 ฿26.3K

8.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$667 ¥106.9K

$515 ฿16.9K

29.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,076 ¥653.4K

$1,975 ฿64.7K

106.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,639 ¥423.0K

$1,475 ฿48.4K

78.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

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 Aomori: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $461 in Aomori and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Aomori vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $246 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

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

Aomori and Chiang Mai differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($1,231 vs $866 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Aomori and $1,300 in Chiang Mai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $461 in Aomori versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $278 in Aomori versus $299 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Aomori. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,231 in Aomori, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Aomori. 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, Aomori 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 42% less than in Aomori. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.