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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 33.3% cheaper than Saitama without rent, and 23.1% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 23.9% cheaper than Saitama without rent, and 30.1% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Saitama
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.01 ฿64.4
$5.91 ¥938
-65.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.23 ฿583
$34.79 ¥5,518
-47.60%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.65 ฿244
$4.88 ¥774
56.76%
Cappuccino
$1.92 ฿61.3
$3.17 ¥502
-39.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84 ฿26.90
$0.75 ¥119
12.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36 ฿11.39
$0.74 ¥118
-51.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.19 ฿70.0
$2.11 ¥335
3.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.79 ฿121
$3.13 ¥497
21.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Saitama
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ฿52.4
$1.52 ¥241
7.89%
White Bread (500g)
$1.62 ฿51.8
$1.68 ¥266
-3.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.15 ฿36.88
$2.93 ¥465
-60.75%
Eggs
$1.94 ฿62.0
$2.21 ¥350
-12.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.94 ฿510
$9.98 ¥1,582
59.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.10 ฿99.2
$6.10 ¥967
-49.18%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.07 ฿354
$15.40 ¥2,443
-28.12%
Apples (1kg)
$2.71 ฿86.5
$5.96 ¥945
-54.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.18 ฿37.69
$1.39 ¥220
-15.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 ฿54.5
$4.12 ¥654
-58.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 ฿51.3
$6.01 ¥953
-73.21%
Potato (1kg)
$1.39 ฿44.53
$3.39 ¥537
-59.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.15 ฿36.70
$1.70 ¥270
-32.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 ฿22.76
$1.38 ¥219
-48.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿17.60
$0.83 ¥132
-33.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.57 ฿146
$4.05 ¥643
12.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.87 ฿603
$8.88 ¥1,409
112.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿58.2
$1.74 ¥276
4.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 ฿103
$2.07 ¥328
55.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Saitama
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.88 ฿28.16
$1.60 ¥255
-45.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.89 ฿604
$56.2 ¥8,909
-66.37%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.41 ฿45.17
$3.40 ¥540
-58.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.30 ฿41.59
$2.96 ¥470
-56.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.20 ฿262
$22.60 ¥3,585
-63.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.23 ฿39.18
$1.24 ¥197
-0.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿677.0K
$23.5K ¥3.7M
-9.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.3K ฿713.3K
$18.2K ¥2.9M
22.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Saitama
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$69.9 ฿2,234
$144 ¥22.9K
-51.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.07 ฿450
$19.56 ¥3,103
-28.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.70 ฿566
$34.50 ¥5,472
-48.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Saitama
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.41 ฿1,324
$68.1 ¥10.8K
-39.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.69 ฿214
$13.65 ¥2,165
-50.99%
Cinema Ticket
$5.74 ฿184
$11.95 ¥1,896
-51.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Saitama
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$299 ฿9,566
$286 ¥45.4K
4.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.0K ฿479.8K
$13.8K ¥2.2M
8.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Saitama
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.8 ฿1,753
$38.22 ¥6,063
43.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.35 ฿842
$27.36 ¥4,340
-3.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.7 ฿2,706
$60.6 ¥9,606
39.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.7 ฿2,229
$69.1 ¥11.0K
0.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Saitama
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$427 ฿13.6K
$428 ¥67.9K
-0.30%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$241 ฿7,697
$254 ¥40.2K
-5.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$811 ฿25.9K
$864 ¥137.1K
-6.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$498 ฿15.9K
$653 ¥103.5K
-23.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,022 ฿64.7K
$4,706 ¥746.5K
-57.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,524 ฿48.7K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Saitama
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$639 ฿20.4K
$1,499 ¥237.7K
-57.36%
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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Saitama: April 12, 2026

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

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