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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 15.7% cheaper than Saitama without rent, and 24.6% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 20.6% cheaper than Saitama without rent, and 28.1% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Saitama
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.03 ฿64.2
$5.73 ¥904
-64.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.59 ฿588
$34.62 ¥5,459
-46.30%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.48 ฿237
$4.83 ¥762
54.87%
Cappuccino
$2.00 ฿63.2
$3.20 ¥504
-37.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 ฿26.81
$0.74 ¥117
14.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 ฿11.13
$0.73 ¥114
-52.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.21 ฿70.0
$2.12 ¥334
4.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.76 ฿119
$3.09 ¥488
21.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Saitama
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 ฿54.4
$1.49 ¥236
15.44%
White Bread (500g)
$1.63 ฿51.7
$1.67 ¥263
-2.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.16 ฿36.66
$2.95 ¥466
-60.68%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿62.6
$2.19 ¥346
-9.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.93 ฿504
$10.17 ¥1,605
56.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.17 ฿100
$6.07 ¥957
-47.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿345
$15.45 ¥2,437
-29.45%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 ฿83.7
$6.03 ¥950
-56.05%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿38.70
$1.39 ¥218
-12.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.70 ฿53.7
$3.99 ¥629
-57.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.59 ฿50.3
$5.99 ¥944
-73.46%
Potato (1kg)
$1.32 ฿41.90
$3.24 ¥510
-59.26%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 ฿36.99
$1.75 ¥276
-33.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.68 ฿21.46
$1.39 ¥219
-51.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ฿17.64
$0.81 ¥128
-30.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.51 ฿143
$4.13 ¥651
9.20%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.07 ฿604
$8.82 ¥1,390
116.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿56.0
$1.81 ¥285
-2.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 ฿101
$2.05 ¥324
55.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Saitama
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.96 ฿30.47
$1.69 ¥267
-43.20%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.90 ฿598
$56.2 ¥8,859
-66.35%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.36 ฿42.98
$3.43 ¥541
-60.35%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿42.80
$2.97 ¥468
-54.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.03 ฿254
$21.94 ¥3,460
-63.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.24 ฿39.34
$1.18 ¥186
5.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿669.8K
$23.4K ¥3.7M
-9.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿688.5K
$18.4K ¥2.9M
18.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Saitama
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$71.2 ฿2,255
$145 ¥22.8K
-50.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.09 ฿446
$20.09 ¥3,168
-29.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.47 ฿553
$34.59 ¥5,455
-49.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Saitama
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.07 ฿1,332
$69.9 ¥11.0K
-39.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.88 ฿218
$13.77 ¥2,172
-50.04%
Cinema Ticket
$5.94 ฿188
$12.08 ¥1,905
-50.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Saitama
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$307 ฿9,728
$283 ¥44.6K
8.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿468.2K
$14.0K ¥2.2M
5.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Saitama
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.7 ฿1,762
$37.78 ¥5,959
47.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.79 ฿848
$27.92 ¥4,404
-4.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.2 ฿2,634
$60.3 ¥9,505
38.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.1 ฿2,219
$69.7 ¥11.0K
0.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Saitama
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$427 ฿13.5K
$428 ¥67.5K
-0.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$237 ฿7,504
$258 ¥40.7K
-8.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$802 ฿25.4K
$871 ¥137.4K
-7.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$503 ฿15.9K
$671 ¥105.9K
-25.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,061 ฿65.2K
$5,443 ¥858.5K
-62.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,533 ฿48.5K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Saitama
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$654 ฿20.7K
$1,541 ¥243.0K
-57.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
1.86
168.82%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: March 1, 2026

Last update for Saitama: March 3, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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