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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,291 per month in Fukuoka vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Fukuoka vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,818 per month in Fukuoka vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Fukuoka costs about 49% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Fukuoka and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Fukuoka 4% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.28 ¥1,324

$1.94 ฿63.6

326.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.70 ¥6,670

$18.64 ฿609

123.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.15 ¥984

$7.82 ฿256

-21.36%

Cappuccino

$3.14 ¥503

$1.95 ฿63.9

61.03%

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

$1.03 ¥165

$0.85 ฿27.80

21.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥132

$0.35 ฿11.60

134.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 ¥263

$2.13 ฿69.7

-22.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ¥335

$3.73 ฿122

-43.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ¥265

$1.71 ฿56.0

-2.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ¥256

$1.63 ฿53.3

-1.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.06 ¥649

$1.14 ฿37.18

256.14%

Eggs

$2.62 ¥419

$1.93 ฿63.2

35.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.12 ¥3,378

$16.21 ฿530

30.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.24 ¥997

$3.12 ฿102

100.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.96 ¥3,353

$10.90 ฿356

92.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 ¥501

$2.75 ฿90.1

13.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 ¥217

$1.21 ฿39.56

12.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 ¥227

$1.62 ฿53.0

-12.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.96 ¥953

$1.59 ฿51.9

274.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 ¥431

$1.40 ฿45.75

92.14%

Onion (1kg)

$3.11 ¥497

$1.17 ฿38.20

165.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 ¥145

$0.66 ฿21.62

36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥120

$0.53 ฿17.24

41.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.78 ¥604

$4.69 ฿153

-19.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 ¥972

$18.66 ฿610

-67.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 ¥305

$1.80 ฿58.8

6.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ¥337

$3.23 ฿106

-34.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 ¥281

$0.90 ฿29.28

95.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.39 ¥6,780

$19.21 ฿628

120.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.74 ¥758

$1.41 ฿45.96

236.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.57 ¥732

$1.29 ฿42.16

254.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.52 ¥3,122

$7.84 ฿256

148.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥192

$1.27 ฿41.62

-5.51%

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

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$21.3K ฿695.5K

11.02%

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

$20.0K ¥3.2M

$22.2K ฿726.1K

-10.17%

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

$216 ¥34.6K

$69.1 ฿2,258

212.83%

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

$27.65 ¥4,423

$14.08 ฿460

96.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.41 ¥5,664

$18.00 ฿588

96.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 ¥9,450

$41.06 ฿1,342

43.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.48 ¥557

$6.96 ฿227

-50.00%

Cinema Ticket

$13.62 ¥2,179

$5.92 ฿193

130.07%

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

$416 ¥66.6K

$299 ฿9,775

39.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-11.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.93 ¥6,866

$54.7 ฿1,788

-21.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.81 ¥4,767

$26.77 ฿875

11.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.0 ¥10.6K

$85.0 ฿2,778

-22.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.7 ¥9,872

$70.6 ฿2,308

-12.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 ¥87.5K

$428 ฿14.0K

27.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ¥48.1K

$237 ฿7,759

26.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,035 ¥165.6K

$801 ฿26.2K

29.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 ¥111.2K

$515 ฿16.9K

34.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,425 ¥1.0M

$1,975 ฿64.5K

225.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,669 ¥426.9K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

80.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,531 ¥244.9K

$617 ฿20.2K

148.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.67

-66.60%

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

Last update for Fukuoka: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $547 in Fukuoka versus $428 in Chiang Mai. 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 148% higher in Fukuoka, 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 $42.00 in Fukuoka versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $329 vs $246 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Fukuoka vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fukuoka costs about 49% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,937 per month in Fukuoka and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. 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 $416 per month in Fukuoka and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% more in Fukuoka, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Fukuoka at $1,291. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fukuoka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,291 in Fukuoka. 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, Fukuoka makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.