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

🙂 Solo nomad: Chiang Mai is 29.6% cheaper than Tsukuba without rent, and 25.6% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Chiang Mai is 19.8% cheaper than Tsukuba without rent, and 27.9% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Tsukuba
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.02 ฿65.3
$4.22 ¥607
-52.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.78 ฿608
$36.28 ¥5,212
-48.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.67 ฿248
$5.68 ¥816
35.04%
Cappuccino
$1.98 ฿64.2
$2.74 ¥394
-27.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 ฿26.64
$0.97 ¥140
-15.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿10.58
$0.77 ¥110
-57.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.12 ฿68.6
$1.88 ¥271
12.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73 ฿121
$3.1 ¥446
20.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Tsukuba
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 ฿53.2
$1.52 ¥218
7.89%
White Bread (500g)
$1.57 ฿50.9
$1.68 ¥242
-6.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 ฿38.62
$2.49 ¥357
-52.21%
Eggs
$1.98 ฿64.1
$2.21 ¥318
-10.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.99 ฿517
$8.18 ¥1,175
95.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.12 ฿101
$6.16 ¥885
-49.35%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿361
$11.18 ¥1,606
-0.18%
Apples (1kg)
$2.76 ฿89.2
$6.17 ¥886
-55.27%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 ฿39.5
$3.11 ¥447
-60.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 ฿55.4
$4.1 ¥590
-58.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.55 ฿50.2
$2.09 ¥300
-25.84%
Potato (1kg)
$1.34 ฿43.21
$3.27 ¥470
-59.02%
Onion (1kg)
$1.21 ฿39.23
$3.41 ¥490
-64.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿23.2
$1.08 ¥155
-33.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.05
$0.88 ¥127
-39.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.72 ฿153
$3.9 ¥561
21.03%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.39 ฿595
$6.73 ¥967
173.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 ฿57.9
$1.8 ¥259
-0.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 ฿104
$2.12 ¥304
51.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Tsukuba
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.94 ฿30.44
$2.44 ¥351
-61.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.9 ฿612
$56.4 ¥8,103
-66.49%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 ฿46.08
$3.46 ¥497
-58.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.35 ฿43.53
$3.01 ¥433
-55.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.85 ฿254
$22.26 ¥3,198
-64.73%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 ฿40.4
$1.22 ¥175
2.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ฿684.9K
$21.8K ¥3.1M
-2.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ฿706.8K
$15.1K ¥2.2M
44.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Tsukuba
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$70.6 ฿2,285
$144 ¥20.7K
-50.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.72 ฿444
$28.06 ¥4,030
-51.10%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.56 ฿568
$33.37 ¥4,793
-47.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Tsukuba
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.64 ฿1,347
$60 ¥8,618
-30.59%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.9 ฿223
$14.07 ¥2,021
-50.96%
Cinema Ticket
$5.8 ฿188
$13.53 ¥1,943
-57.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Tsukuba
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 ฿9,963
$138 ¥19.8K
123.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.7K ฿475.8K
$12K ¥1.7M
22.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Tsukuba
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.4 ฿1,793
$41.34 ¥5,938
34.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.4 ฿854
$29.35 ¥4,216
-10.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 ฿2,755
$41.12 ¥5,907
107.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.8 ฿2,323
$93.4 ¥13.4K
-23.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Tsukuba
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$434 ฿14K
$501 ¥71.9K
-13.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$235 ฿7,610
$307 ¥44.2K
-23.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$821 ฿26.6K
$1,222 ¥175.5K
-32.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$498 ฿16.1K
$704 ¥101.1K
-29.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,180 ฿70.6K
$3,096 ¥444.7K
-29.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,543 ฿49.9K
$1,873 ¥269.1K
-17.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Tsukuba
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$703 ฿22.8K
$1,674 ¥240.5K
-57.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
2
150.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 29, 2025

Last update for Tsukuba: October 28, 2025

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