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: $1,166 in Atsugi versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,863 in Atsugi versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,560 in Atsugi versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Atsugi is roughly 35% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Atsugi 13% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.19 ¥1,310

$1.94 ฿63.6

322.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.23 ¥4,355

$18.64 ฿609

46.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.36 ¥1,017

$7.82 ฿256

-18.67%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ¥324

$1.95 ฿63.9

3.59%

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

$1.05 ¥168

$0.85 ฿27.80

23.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥121

$0.35 ฿11.60

114.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 ¥469

$2.13 ฿69.7

37.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ¥505

$3.73 ฿122

-15.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ¥268

$1.71 ฿56.0

-2.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ¥290

$1.63 ฿53.3

11.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.95 ¥792

$1.14 ฿37.18

334.21%

Eggs

$2.16 ¥346

$1.93 ฿63.2

11.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.46 ¥2,793

$16.21 ฿530

7.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.73 ¥756

$3.12 ฿102

51.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.75 ¥2,520

$10.90 ฿356

44.50%

Apples (1kg)

$5.64 ¥902

$2.75 ฿90.1

105.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 ¥334

$1.21 ฿39.56

72.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.10 ¥656

$1.62 ฿53.0

153.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.98 ¥476

$1.59 ฿51.9

87.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 ¥420

$1.40 ฿45.75

87.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 ¥322

$1.17 ฿38.20

72.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 ¥212

$0.66 ฿21.62

101.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥150

$0.53 ฿17.24

77.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.49 ¥558

$4.69 ฿153

-25.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.24 ¥1,478

$18.66 ฿610

-50.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥285

$1.80 ฿58.8

-1.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 ¥378

$3.23 ฿106

-26.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.90 ¥464

$0.90 ฿29.28

222.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.59 ¥7,772

$19.21 ฿628

152.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ¥570

$1.41 ฿45.96

152.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 ¥483

$1.29 ฿42.16

134.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 ¥1,652

$7.84 ฿256

31.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥191

$1.27 ฿41.62

-6.30%

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

$13.8K ¥2.2M

$21.3K ฿695.5K

-35.14%

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

$16.7K ¥2.7M

$22.2K ฿726.1K

-24.95%

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

$143 ¥22.9K

$69.1 ฿2,258

106.83%

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

$15.29 ¥2,446

$14.08 ฿460

8.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,358

$18.00 ฿588

86.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.6 ¥11.0K

$41.06 ฿1,342

67.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.98 ¥2,236

$6.96 ฿227

100.86%

Cinema Ticket

$12.27 ¥1,962

$5.92 ฿193

107.26%

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

$343 ¥54.8K

$299 ฿9,775

14.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,697 ¥1.1M

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-55.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.62 ¥6,817

$54.7 ฿1,788

-22.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.52 ¥4,081

$26.77 ฿875

-4.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.9 ¥8,937

$85.0 ฿2,778

-34.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.15 ¥5,462

$70.6 ฿2,308

-51.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$421 ¥67.4K

$428 ฿14.0K

-1.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 ¥44.0K

$237 ฿7,759

15.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$861 ¥137.7K

$801 ฿26.2K

7.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$650 ¥103.9K

$515 ฿16.9K

26.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,656 ¥584.7K

$617 ฿20.2K

492.05%

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 Atsugi: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $421 in Atsugi and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Atsugi pays 492% 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: $27.00 in Atsugi vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 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

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

Atsugi and Chiang Mai differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($1,166 vs $866 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Atsugi pays 492% 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: $421 in Atsugi versus $428 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 $19.00 versus $27.00 in Atsugi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,166 per month in Atsugi versus $866 in Chiang Mai – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,166 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 35% less than in Atsugi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.