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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,210 per month in Asahikawa vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,941 per month in Asahikawa vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,673 per month in Asahikawa vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Asahikawa costs about 30% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Asahikawa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Asahikawa 12% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.68 ¥1,043

$2.08 ฿69.2

221.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.85 ¥5,130

$19.61 ฿652

67.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 ¥809

$5.67 ฿189

-8.64%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ¥474

$1.81 ฿60.0

67.40%

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

$1.03 ¥161

$0.77 ฿25.55

33.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥117

$0.35 ฿11.48

114.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 ¥361

$2.21 ฿73.6

4.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 ¥537

$3.79 ฿126

-9.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 ¥226

$2.05 ฿68.1

-29.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ¥228

$1.51 ฿50.4

-3.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 ¥672

$1.40 ฿46.51

207.14%

Eggs

$1.89 ¥294

$2.26 ฿75.1

-16.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.82 ¥1,689

$16.19 ฿538

-33.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.84 ¥1,068

$2.90 ฿96.3

135.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.80 ¥2,468

$9.42 ฿313

67.73%

Apples (1kg)

$5.68 ¥887

$2.68 ฿89.1

111.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.27 ¥355

$1.09 ฿36.23

108.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 ¥447

$1.62 ฿53.8

76.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 ¥674

$1.46 ฿48.55

195.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 ¥454

$1.28 ฿42.48

126.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 ¥405

$1.06 ฿35.17

144.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 ¥215

$0.72 ฿23.85

91.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥116

$0.53 ฿17.49

39.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ¥689

$4.23 ฿141

4.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 ¥1,267

$18.29 ฿608

-55.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥289

$1.63 ฿54.2

13.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ¥339

$2.90 ฿96.5

-25.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥252

$0.88 ฿29.20

82.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.9 ¥9,672

$53.8 ฿1,788

15.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 ¥451

$1.17 ฿38.99

146.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.14 ¥491

$0.58 ฿19.22

441.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.83 ¥2,941

$2.39 ฿79.3

687.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥194

$1.45 ฿48.22

-14.48%

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

$21.9K ¥3.4M

$21.0K ฿698.6K

4.25%

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

$13.8K ¥2.1M

$26.4K ฿878.6K

-47.92%

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

$145 ¥22.6K

$63.7 ฿2,116

127.81%

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

$22.25 ¥3,474

$12.89 ฿429

72.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.34 ¥5,676

$20.52 ฿682

77.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.40 ¥7,402

$39.02 ฿1,297

21.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$10.54 ¥1,646

$6.58 ฿219

60.18%

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

$607 ¥94.8K

$784 ฿26.1K

-22.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$14.7K ฿487.9K

-9.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ¥9,018

$55.1 ฿1,833

4.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.96 ¥5,616

$24.74 ฿823

45.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.8 ¥9,647

$94.1 ฿3,130

-34.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.3 ¥13.5K

$74.0 ฿2,459

16.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 ¥76.6K

$490 ฿16.3K

0.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 ¥46.2K

$288 ฿9,582

2.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 ¥151.7K

$891 ฿29.6K

8.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$710 ¥110.9K

$521 ฿17.3K

36.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,277 ¥511.8K

$1,974 ฿65.6K

66.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,817 ¥283.7K

$1,444 ฿48.0K

25.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.09

5.57

-62.48%

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

Last update for Asahikawa: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $491 in Asahikawa versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Asahikawa versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $301 vs $241 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,210 in Asahikawa, $932 in Chiang Mai – roughly 30% apart. Asahikawa costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,814 per month in Asahikawa and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 15% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $607 per month in Asahikawa and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Asahikawa at $1,210. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Asahikawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $932 in Chiang Mai to $1,210 in Asahikawa. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Asahikawa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.