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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,176 in Kagoshima, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,894 in Kagoshima, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,613 in Kagoshima, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 26% cheaper than Kagoshima, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Kagoshima are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Kagoshima 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$8.48 ¥1,357

-77.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$41.63 ¥6,659

-55.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$5.78 ¥924

35.29%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$3.07 ¥491

-36.48%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$1.09 ¥174

-22.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$0.82 ¥131

-57.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$1.64 ¥262

29.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.02 ¥324

84.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.39 ¥222

23.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$1.30 ¥208

25.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$4.20 ¥672

-72.86%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$2.38 ¥381

-18.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$10.13 ¥1,621

60.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.19 ¥990

-49.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$21.06 ¥3,369

-48.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$3.06 ¥489

-10.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$1.40 ¥224

-13.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.35 ¥216

20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$5.96 ¥953

-73.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$2.32 ¥372

-39.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$2.09 ¥335

-44.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$0.99 ¥159

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.80 ¥129

-33.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.79 ¥607

23.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$6.03 ¥965

209.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.30 ¥208

38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$2.13 ¥341

51.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$1.50 ¥239

-40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$54.4 ¥8,695

-64.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$4.58 ¥732

-69.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$3.00 ¥479

-57.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$12.39 ¥1,982

-36.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.23 ¥197

3.25%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$23.2K ¥3.7M

-8.29%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$20.3K ¥3.2M

9.62%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$210 ¥33.6K

-67.12%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$26.92 ¥4,306

-47.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$35.46 ¥5,671

-49.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$54.8 ¥8,758

-25.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$13.60 ¥2,175

-48.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$14.12 ¥2,258

-58.07%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$412 ¥65.9K

-27.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$13.3K ¥2.1M

12.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$44.04 ¥7,044

24.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$29.74 ¥4,757

-9.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$65.4 ¥10.5K

29.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$60.1 ¥9,606

17.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$477 ¥76.2K

-10.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$238 ¥38.0K

-0.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$868 ¥138.9K

-7.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$646 ¥103.4K

-20.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$5,140 ¥822.2K

-61.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$2,510 ¥401.5K

-41.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$1,852 ¥296.2K

-66.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.67

199.40%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kagoshima: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $477 in Kagoshima. 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 200% higher in Kagoshima, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $42.00 in Kagoshima. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $284 – 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 Kagoshima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kagoshima costs about 36% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,763 in Kagoshima. 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.

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $412 in Kagoshima. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Kagoshima, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Kagoshima at $1,176. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kagoshima it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,176 in Kagoshima. 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, Kagoshima makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.