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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 27.4% cheaper than Kyoto without rent, and 33.9% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 29.1% cheaper than Kyoto without rent, and 37.9% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Kyoto
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.02 ฿65.3
$10.27 ¥1,476
-80.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.78 ฿608
$34.95 ¥5,021
-46.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.67 ฿248
$5.58 ¥802
37.46%
Cappuccino
$1.98 ฿64.2
$3.44 ¥494
-42.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 ฿26.64
$0.94 ¥135
-12.77%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿10.58
$0.75 ¥108
-56.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.12 ฿68.6
$3.46 ¥497
-38.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73 ฿121
$6.65 ¥956
-43.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Kyoto
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ฿53.2
$1.69 ¥243
-2.96%
White Bread (500g)
$1.57 ฿50.9
$1.79 ¥257
-12.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 ฿38.62
$3.05 ¥438
-60.98%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿64.1
$2.27 ¥326
-12.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.99 ฿517
$9.36 ¥1,345
70.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.12 ฿101
$7.65 ¥1,099
-59.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿361
$15.28 ¥2,195
-26.96%
Apples (1kg)
$2.76 ฿89.2
$5.45 ¥783
-49.36%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿39.5
$2.55 ¥366
-52.16%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 ฿55.4
$6.5 ¥934
-73.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.55 ฿50.2
$3.82 ¥549
-59.42%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 ฿43.21
$1.59 ¥229
-15.72%
Onion (1kg)
$1.21 ฿39.23
$2.32 ¥333
-47.84%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿23.2
$1.23 ¥177
-41.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.05
$0.96 ¥138
-44.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.72 ฿153
$4.24 ¥609
11.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.39 ฿595
$8.1 ¥1,163
127.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 ฿57.9
$1.77 ¥255
1.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 ฿104
$3.71 ¥533
-13.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Kyoto
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.94 ฿30.44
$1.6 ¥230
-41.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.9 ฿612
$68.7 ¥9,873
-72.50%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 ฿46.08
$3.41 ¥490
-58.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿43.53
$3 ¥431
-55.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.85 ฿254
$17.66 ¥2,537
-55.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 ฿40.4
$1.19 ¥171
5.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿684.9K
$23.1K ¥3.3M
-8.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿706.8K
$17K ¥2.4M
28.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Kyoto
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.6 ฿2,285
$112 ¥16K
-36.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.72 ฿444
$26.64 ¥3,828
-48.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.56 ฿568
$34.21 ¥4,914
-48.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Kyoto
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.64 ฿1,347
$58.1 ¥8,345
-28.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.9 ฿223
$21.21 ¥3,047
-67.47%
Cinema Ticket
$5.8 ฿188
$13.38 ¥1,922
-56.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Kyoto
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 ฿9,963
$364 ¥52.3K
-15.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.7K ฿475.8K
$7,285 ¥1M
101.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Kyoto
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.4 ฿1,793
$45.85 ¥6,587
20.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.4 ฿854
$32.19 ¥4,624
-17.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 ฿2,755
$73.4 ¥10.5K
16.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.8 ฿2,323
$91 ¥13.1K
-21.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Kyoto
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$434 ฿14K
$586 ¥84.2K
-25.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$235 ฿7,610
$341 ¥48.9K
-30.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$821 ฿26.6K
$1,673 ¥240.4K
-50.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$498 ฿16.1K
$938 ¥134.8K
-46.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,180 ฿70.6K
$2,748 ¥394.7K
-20.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,543 ฿49.9K
$1,611 ¥231.5K
-4.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Kyoto
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$703 ฿22.8K
$1,902 ¥273.2K
-63.01%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
1.78
180.90%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

Last update for Kyoto: October 28, 2025

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