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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $947 per month in Chiang Mai vs $968 in Oita, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,610 in Oita, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,874 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,253 in Oita, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 2% cheaper than Oita, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Oita are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Oita 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿68.5

$4.96 ¥775

-58.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿646

$42.11 ¥6,579

-53.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 ฿186

$5.74 ¥896

-1.57%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿59.3

$1.94 ¥302

-6.70%

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

$0.71 ฿23.44

$1.06 ¥166

-33.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.38

$0.61 ¥95.8

-47.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ฿73.5

$3.20 ¥500

-30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$2.14 ¥335

69.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ฿64.4

$1.32 ¥206

48.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ฿49.38

$1.24 ¥194

20.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 ฿43.92

$6.22 ¥972

-78.46%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿74.4

$2.19 ¥342

3.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 ฿534

$3.05 ¥477

433.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.1

$5.46 ¥853

-45.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.94 ฿327

$12.55 ¥1,960

-20.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ฿84.5

$2.19 ¥342

17.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ฿34.72

$1.27 ¥198

-16.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.0

$1.58 ¥247

1.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.96

$2.00 ¥312

-24.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 ฿41.76

$1.24 ¥194

2.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.05

$1.28 ¥200

-16.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.67

$0.91 ¥142

-20.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.72

$0.98 ¥153

-47.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿138

$3.80 ¥594

10.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 ฿587

$6.27 ¥980

185.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ฿55.7

$1.58 ¥246

6.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$1.88 ¥293

51.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿30.42

$1.48 ¥231

-37.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,770

$55.6 ¥8,682

-3.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.58

$4.02 ¥627

-69.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿18.96

$2.02 ¥315

-71.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿79.7

$17.55 ¥2,742

-86.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ฿46.42

$1.10 ¥172

28.18%

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

$21.4K ฿704.9K

$21.2K ¥3.3M

0.98%

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

$27.3K ฿898.5K

$17.0K ¥2.7M

60.69%

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

$63.7 ฿2,093

$49.78 ¥7,776

27.90%

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

$12.85 ฿423

$25.01 ¥3,908

-48.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.22 ฿665

$32.56 ¥5,086

-37.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 ฿1,274

$49.61 ¥7,750

-21.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 ฿221

$9.50 ¥1,485

-29.05%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

$123 ¥19.3K

530.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.2K

$12.1K ¥1.9M

20.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 ฿1,785

$37.43 ¥5,848

45.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.45 ฿836

$23.59 ¥3,685

7.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,101

$59.4 ¥9,275

58.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 ฿2,414

$46.28 ¥7,230

58.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.1K

$468 ¥73.0K

4.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 ฿9,510

$320 ¥50.0K

-9.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ฿29.4K

$1,076 ¥168.1K

-16.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$517 ฿17.0K

$717 ¥112.0K

-27.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,955 ฿64.3K

$4,407 ¥688.4K

-55.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 ฿48.5K

$1,908 ¥298.1K

-22.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿19.8K

$992 ¥154.9K

-39.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

1.97

182.74%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Last update for Oita: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $468 in Oita. 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 65% higher in Oita, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $42.00 in Oita. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Chiang Mai vs $214 in Oita – so Oita wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Oita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Oita costs about 2% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,451 in Oita. 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 $778 per month in Chiang Mai and $123 in Oita. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Oita – 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 Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Oita at $968. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Oita it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $968 in Oita. 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, Oita makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.