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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $919 in Hiroshima, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,482 in Hiroshima, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,046 in Hiroshima, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Hiroshima, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Hiroshima are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Hiroshima 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$6.05 ¥945

-65.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$31.23 ¥4,879

-37.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$4.89 ¥764

15.54%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$2.72 ¥426

-33.46%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$1.02 ¥160

-30.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.67 ¥105

-52.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$2.64 ¥413

-15.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.65 ¥570

-0.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.50 ¥235

30.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$1.56 ¥243

-3.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$4.68 ¥731

-71.37%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$2.09 ¥326

8.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$4.93 ¥770

229.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$5.96 ¥931

-50.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$11.07 ¥1,730

-10.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$3.39 ¥529

-24.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$1.90 ¥297

-44.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$3.74 ¥584

-56.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$3.73 ¥582

-59.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$1.50 ¥234

-15.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$3.44 ¥537

-68.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$1.28 ¥200

-43.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.77 ¥121

-33.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$3.83 ¥599

9.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$7.63 ¥1,192

134.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.85 ¥289

-8.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$2.46 ¥384

15.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

$1.91 ¥298

-51.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$3.72 ¥581

-66.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$1.23 ¥192

-52.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$20.94 ¥3,271

-88.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$1.04 ¥163

35.58%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$21.3K ¥3.3M

0.44%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$15.2K ¥2.4M

80.24%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$137 ¥21.4K

-53.46%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$23.88 ¥3,730

-46.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$30.26 ¥4,727

-33.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$53.6 ¥8,368

-27.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

$4.80 ¥749

-17.29%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$11.97 ¥1,870

-43.69%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$158 ¥24.6K

393.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$3,422 ¥534.6K

326.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$28.18 ¥4,403

92.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$24.90 ¥3,891

2.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$47.12 ¥7,362

100.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$61.8 ¥9,654

18.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$238 ¥37.2K

105.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

$185 ¥28.9K

56.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$635 ¥99.2K

40.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$503 ¥78.6K

2.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$1,883 ¥294.1K

3.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

$1,889 ¥295.1K

-21.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$1,956 ¥305.6K

-69.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

2.21

152.04%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Hiroshima: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $238 in Hiroshima. 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 225% higher in Hiroshima, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $31.00 in Hiroshima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $253 – 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Hiroshima, 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 $1,421 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,378 in Hiroshima. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $31.00 in Hiroshima. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hiroshima, where all-in costs run around $919, than in Chiang Mai at $947. In Hiroshima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hiroshima costs $919 versus $947 in Chiang Mai. 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 Hiroshima. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.