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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,157 in Atsugi versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,869 in Atsugi versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,581 in Atsugi versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Atsugi is roughly 34% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Atsugi 13% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.49 ¥1,380

$1.96 ฿65.8

333.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.21 ¥4,583

$18.35 ฿617

53.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.41 ¥1,041

$7.48 ฿252

-14.30%

Cappuccino

$2.12 ¥344

$2.02 ฿67.8

4.95%

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

$1.02 ¥166

$0.85 ฿28.50

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ¥116

$0.36 ฿11.96

97.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 ¥470

$2.14 ฿71.8

35.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 ¥496

$3.59 ฿121

-15.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

$1.65 ฿55.5

-1.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ¥293

$1.57 ฿52.7

15.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.82 ¥782

$1.19 ฿40.02

305.04%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥341

$1.94 ฿65.1

8.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.67 ¥2,871

$16.19 ฿544

9.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.87 ¥792

$2.99 ฿101

62.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.30 ¥2,485

$10.94 ฿368

39.85%

Apples (1kg)

$5.79 ¥940

$2.71 ฿91.2

113.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 ¥336

$1.17 ฿39.25

76.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.10 ¥667

$1.69 ฿56.7

142.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.88 ¥468

$1.60 ฿54.0

80.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 ¥430

$1.38 ฿46.54

92.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 ¥326

$1.20 ฿40.45

67.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 ¥214

$0.67 ฿22.50

97.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.56 ฿18.73

55.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.51 ¥571

$4.64 ฿156

-24.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.30 ¥1,512

$17.62 ฿593

-47.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ¥286

$1.86 ฿62.5

-5.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ¥373

$3.30 ฿111

-30.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 ¥476

$0.88 ฿29.68

232.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.84 ¥7,772

$19.34 ฿650

147.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 ¥548

$1.36 ฿45.90

147.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.01 ¥489

$1.34 ฿44.98

124.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.28 ¥1,670

$8.21 ฿276

25.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥193

$1.22 ฿41.18

-2.46%

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

$14.0K ¥2.3M

$21.4K ฿718.1K

-34.45%

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

$16.8K ¥2.7M

$22.5K ฿757.7K

-25.36%

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

$141 ¥22.9K

$70.7 ฿2,376

99.50%

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

$15.79 ¥2,566

$14.04 ฿472

12.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.83 ¥5,497

$17.49 ฿588

93.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ¥11.1K

$42.15 ฿1,417

62.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.80 ¥2,242

$6.88 ฿231

100.58%

Cinema Ticket

$12.33 ¥2,003

$5.92 ฿199

108.28%

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

$345 ¥56.1K

$309 ฿10.4K

11.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,736 ¥1.1M

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-54.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.04 ¥6,831

$55.8 ฿1,875

-24.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.32 ¥4,114

$26.11 ฿878

-3.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.0 ¥8,934

$83.0 ฿2,792

-33.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.87 ¥5,666

$70.5 ฿2,369

-50.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 ¥66.5K

$432 ฿14.5K

-5.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ¥45.8K

$239 ฿8,035

18.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$874 ¥142.0K

$822 ฿27.7K

6.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$661 ¥107.4K

$512 ฿17.2K

29.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,688 ¥599.2K

$579 ฿19.5K

536.59%

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 Atsugi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Atsugi and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Atsugi pays 537% 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: $28.00 in Atsugi vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $317 vs $243 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

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

Atsugi and Chiang Mai differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($1,157 vs $861 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 537% higher in Atsugi, 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: $409 in Atsugi versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chiang Mai – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $28.00 in Atsugi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,157 per month in Atsugi versus $861 in Chiang Mai – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,157 in Atsugi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Atsugi. 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, Atsugi 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 34% less than in Atsugi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.