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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,067 per month in Beppu vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,564 per month in Beppu vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,061 per month in Beppu vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Beppu costs about 23% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Beppu and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Beppu 20% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.89 ¥1,102

$1.94 ฿63.6

255.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.47 ¥4,234

$18.64 ฿609

42.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 ¥763

$7.82 ฿256

-39.00%

Cappuccino

$3.14 ¥502

$1.95 ฿63.9

61.03%

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

$1.07 ¥171

$0.85 ฿27.80

25.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥133

$0.35 ฿11.60

137.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 ¥552

$2.13 ฿69.7

61.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 ¥744

$3.73 ฿122

24.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ¥252

$1.71 ฿56.0

-8.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥254

$1.63 ฿53.3

-2.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.20 ¥672

$1.14 ฿37.18

268.42%

Eggs

$1.60 ¥257

$1.93 ฿63.2

-17.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.80 ¥1,568

$16.21 ฿530

-39.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.04 ¥966

$3.12 ฿102

93.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.06 ¥1,769

$10.90 ฿356

1.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 ¥505

$2.75 ฿90.1

14.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 ¥217

$1.21 ฿39.56

12.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 ¥660

$1.62 ฿53.0

154.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.62 ¥739

$1.59 ฿51.9

190.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 ¥453

$1.40 ฿45.75

102.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 ¥393

$1.17 ฿38.20

110.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 ¥154

$0.66 ฿21.62

45.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ¥130

$0.53 ฿17.24

52.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 ¥600

$4.69 ฿153

-20.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.07 ¥972

$18.66 ฿610

-67.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥262

$1.80 ฿58.8

-8.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥296

$3.23 ฿106

-42.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.71 ¥434

$0.90 ฿29.28

201.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.56 ¥5,527

$19.21 ฿628

79.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.53 ¥725

$1.41 ฿45.96

221.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.88 ¥460

$1.29 ฿42.16

123.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.31 ¥3,089

$7.84 ฿256

146.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥199

$1.27 ฿41.62

-1.57%

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

$12.5K ¥2.0M

$21.3K ฿695.5K

-41.30%

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

$17.1K ¥2.7M

$22.2K ฿726.1K

-23.09%

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

$160 ¥25.6K

$69.1 ฿2,258

131.79%

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

$14.13 ¥2,261

$14.08 ฿460

0.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.09 ¥4,973

$18.00 ฿588

72.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.29 ¥7,884

$41.06 ฿1,342

20.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.54 ¥567

$6.96 ฿227

-49.14%

Cinema Ticket

$7.02 ¥1,123

$5.92 ฿193

18.58%

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

$210 ¥33.6K

$299 ฿9,775

-29.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-9.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.75 ¥4,918

$54.7 ฿1,788

-43.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.52 ¥3,922

$26.77 ฿875

-8.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.0 ¥10.7K

$85.0 ฿2,778

-21.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.23 ¥6,754

$70.6 ฿2,308

-40.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$345 ¥55.1K

$428 ฿14.0K

-19.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$246 ¥39.4K

$237 ฿7,759

3.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ¥99.0K

$801 ฿26.2K

-22.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$412 ¥65.9K

$515 ฿16.9K

-20.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,203 ¥672.2K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

112.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,394 ¥383.0K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

62.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,339 ¥214.1K

$617 ฿20.2K

116.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.67

-66.60%

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

Last update for Beppu: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $345 in Beppu versus $428 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.

Salaries run about 117% higher in Beppu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Beppu versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $262 vs $246 – 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

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

Beppu costs about 23% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,600 per month in Beppu and $1,300 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,067 in Beppu and $866 in Chiang Mai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 80% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,067 in Beppu and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,067 in Beppu. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Beppu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.