Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Gyoda

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,258 in Gyoda, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Gyoda, Japan
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Gyoda
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,258
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Gyoda

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Gyoda actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,258 in Gyoda, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $936
  • Gyoda $1,258

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,998 in Gyoda, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,457
  • Gyoda $1,998

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,738 in Gyoda, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,979
  • Gyoda $2,738

Chiang Mai is about 26% cheaper than Gyoda, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Gyoda are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Gyoda 8% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Gyoda
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.24 ฿75.6
$6.46 ¥1,021
-65.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.00 ฿641
$41.01 ¥6,476
-53.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.55 ฿187
$5.18 ¥818
7.14%
Cappuccino
$1.67 ฿56.5
$3.37 ¥533
-50.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.53
$1.06 ¥168
-39.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.30
$0.75 ¥119
-58.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿79.5
$2.56 ¥405
-7.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿124
$3.20 ¥505
14.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Gyoda
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.7
$1.40 ¥221
39.29%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 ฿48.45
$1.73 ¥274
-16.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ฿45.01
$3.71 ¥585
-64.15%
Eggs
$2.28 ฿77.0
$2.00 ¥315
14.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.45 ฿555
$10.24 ¥1,617
60.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.78 ฿93.8
$6.25 ¥987
-55.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.31 ฿314
$14.56 ¥2,300
-36.06%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ฿79.4
$5.88 ¥928
-60.03%
Banana (1kg)
$0.97 ฿32.78
$2.85 ¥451
-65.96%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 ฿53.9
$2.91 ¥460
-45.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$4.12 ¥650
-63.59%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿43.10
$2.64 ¥418
-51.52%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 ฿37.17
$2.56 ¥404
-57.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 ฿23.81
$1.29 ¥204
-44.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.36
$0.81 ¥128
-39.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.14 ฿140
$3.86 ¥610
7.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.52 ฿591
$6.38 ¥1,007
174.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 ฿54.5
$1.73 ¥273
-6.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿93.9
$2.12 ¥334
31.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Gyoda
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 ฿29.29
$1.32 ¥208
-34.09%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.1 ฿1,825
$49.26 ¥7,780
9.81%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.16 ฿39.03
$3.08 ¥486
-62.34%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 ฿17.79
$2.72 ¥429
-80.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ฿81.7
$20.46 ¥3,232
-88.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.87
$1.12 ¥176
29.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K ฿710.3K
$21.8K ¥3.5M
-3.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿908.7K
$15.7K ¥2.5M
71.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Gyoda
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.2 ฿2,097
$130 ¥20.5K
-52.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.17 ฿410
$23.86 ¥3,768
-48.99%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.12 ฿679
$32.04 ¥5,060
-37.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Gyoda
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.31 ฿1,259
$47.60 ¥7,517
-21.62%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.77 ฿127
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.49 ฿219
$13.24 ¥2,090
-50.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Gyoda
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$736 ฿24.8K
$817 ¥129.1K
-9.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿498.0K
$14.8K ¥2.3M
0.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Gyoda
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 ฿1,800
$62.8 ¥9,917
-15.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.64 ฿831
$36.96 ¥5,837
-33.33%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.5 ฿3,086
$62.3 ¥9,842
46.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.9 ฿2,426
$102 ¥16.1K
-29.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Gyoda
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$482 ฿16.3K
$591 ¥93.3K
-18.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ฿10.4K
$381 ¥60.2K
-19.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 ฿33.9K
$930 ¥146.8K
8.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$633 ฿21.4K
$811 ¥128.1K
-21.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,363 ฿79.7K
$3,838 ¥606.1K
-38.43%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,589 ฿53.6K
$2,564 ¥404.9K
-38.02%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Gyoda
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$590 ฿19.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
2.64
110.98%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Gyoda: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$309
Gyoda
$381 23.5% $73
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$234
Gyoda
$292 24.6% $58
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$109
Gyoda
$119 9.2% $10
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Gyoda
$186 96.9% $92
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$78
Gyoda
$134 73% $57
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Gyoda
$71 16% $9.8
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Gyoda
$74 47.3% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $591 in Gyoda. 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 $19 in Chiang Mai versus $41 in Gyoda. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $292 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇯🇵 Gyoda
🕒 Local time
21:39 9:39 PM
23:39 11:39 PM
2 h ahead of Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
81,582
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.64 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 176 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Gyoda 4,390 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Gyoda

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Chiang Mai vs Gyoda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Gyoda?
Gyoda costs about 34% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Gyoda?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,887 in Gyoda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Gyoda?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $591 in Gyoda.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Gyoda?
Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $817 in Gyoda. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Gyoda?
Groceries cost about 25% more in Gyoda, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Chiang Mai or in Gyoda?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,258 in Gyoda. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Chiang Mai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Gyoda?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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