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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 40.1% cheaper than Tokyo without rent, and 48.1% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 44.4% cheaper than Tokyo without rent, and 50.9% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Tokyo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.02 ฿65.3
$8.53 ¥1,226
-76.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.78 ฿608
$47.7 ¥6,852
-60.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.67 ฿248
$5.49 ¥789
39.71%
Cappuccino
$1.98 ฿64.2
$3.6 ¥517
-45.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 ฿26.64
$1.21 ¥174
-32.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿10.58
$0.88 ¥126
-62.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.12 ฿68.6
$4.22 ¥606
-49.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73 ฿121
$5.35 ¥769
-30.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Tokyo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ฿53.2
$1.57 ¥225
4.46%
White Bread (500g)
$1.57 ฿50.9
$1.54 ¥221
1.95%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 ฿38.62
$5.39 ¥774
-77.92%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿64.1
$2.41 ¥346
-17.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.99 ฿517
$16.02 ¥2,301
-0.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.12 ฿101
$7.96 ¥1,144
-60.80%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿361
$22.64 ¥3,253
-50.71%
Apples (1kg)
$2.76 ฿89.2
$5.4 ¥776
-48.89%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿39.5
$2.65 ¥381
-53.96%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 ฿55.4
$5.99 ¥860
-71.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.55 ฿50.2
$5.97 ¥858
-74.04%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 ฿43.21
$3.28 ¥472
-59.15%
Onion (1kg)
$1.21 ฿39.23
$3.5 ¥503
-65.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿23.2
$1.49 ¥215
-51.68%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.05
$0.87 ¥125
-39.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.72 ฿153
$4.22 ¥606
11.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.39 ฿595
$10.09 ¥1,450
82.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 ฿57.9
$2.13 ¥306
-15.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 ฿104
$2.87 ¥412
11.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Tokyo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.94 ฿30.44
$1.48 ¥212
-36.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.9 ฿612
$83.5 ¥12K
-77.37%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 ฿46.08
$3.41 ¥490
-58.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿43.53
$3.01 ¥432
-55.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.85 ฿254
$26.47 ¥3,802
-70.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 ฿40.4
$1.21 ¥174
3.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿684.9K
$22.8K ¥3.3M
-7.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿706.8K
$17.2K ¥2.5M
27.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Tokyo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.6 ฿2,285
$168 ¥24.2K
-58.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.72 ฿444
$26.83 ¥3,855
-48.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.56 ฿568
$33.17 ¥4,764
-47.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Tokyo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.64 ฿1,347
$69.9 ¥10K
-40.44%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.9 ฿223
$20.69 ¥2,972
-66.65%
Cinema Ticket
$5.8 ฿188
$13.01 ¥1,870
-55.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Tokyo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 ฿9,963
$511 ¥73.4K
-39.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.7K ฿475.8K
$15.4K ¥2.2M
-4.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Tokyo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.4 ฿1,793
$61.3 ¥8,802
-9.58%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.4 ฿854
$41.69 ¥5,989
-36.68%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 ฿2,755
$66.6 ¥9,562
27.90%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.8 ฿2,323
$91.2 ¥13.1K
-21.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Tokyo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$434 ฿14K
$1,121 ¥161K
-61.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$235 ฿7,610
$606 ¥87.1K
-61.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$821 ฿26.6K
$2,695 ¥387.2K
-69.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$498 ฿16.1K
$1,338 ¥192.3K
-62.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,180 ฿70.6K
$11K ¥1.6M
-80.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,543 ฿49.9K
$5,208 ¥748.2K
-70.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Tokyo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$703 ฿22.8K
$2,525 ¥362.7K
-72.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
1.72
190.70%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

Last update for Tokyo: October 29, 2025

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