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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,170 per month in Kanazawa vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,850 per month in Kanazawa vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,531 per month in Kanazawa vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kanazawa costs about 23% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kanazawa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kanazawa 15% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.15 ¥804

$2.08 ฿68.5

147.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.28 ¥4,886

$19.64 ฿646

59.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 ¥764

$5.65 ฿186

-13.45%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ¥463

$1.81 ฿59.3

64.09%

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

$1.42 ¥222

$0.71 ฿23.44

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥115

$0.32 ฿10.38

131.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 ¥413

$2.24 ฿73.5

18.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ¥580

$3.63 ฿119

2.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 ¥225

$1.96 ฿64.4

-26.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 ¥202

$1.50 ฿49.38

-14.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.17 ¥807

$1.34 ฿43.92

285.82%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥329

$2.26 ฿74.4

-7.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 ¥1,459

$16.26 ฿534

-42.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.39 ¥1,467

$2.95 ฿97.1

218.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.24 ¥2,850

$9.94 ฿327

83.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 ¥509

$2.57 ฿84.5

26.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 ¥310

$1.06 ฿34.72

87.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ¥313

$1.61 ฿53.0

24.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.93 ¥614

$1.52 ฿49.96

158.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ¥230

$1.27 ฿41.76

15.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 ¥174

$1.07 ฿35.05

4.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 ¥204

$0.72 ฿23.67

80.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥119

$0.51 ฿16.72

49.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.94 ¥616

$4.19 ฿138

-5.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.53 ¥1,489

$17.87 ฿587

-46.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 ¥300

$1.69 ฿55.7

13.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 ¥503

$2.84 ฿93.2

13.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 ¥235

$0.93 ฿30.42

62.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ¥8,577

$53.9 ฿1,770

1.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 ¥590

$1.23 ฿40.58

206.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.09 ¥483

$0.58 ฿18.96

432.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.18 ¥3,309

$2.42 ฿79.7

775.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 ¥168

$1.41 ฿46.42

-23.40%

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

$21.7K ¥3.4M

$21.4K ฿704.9K

1.22%

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

$14.8K ¥2.3M

$27.3K ฿898.5K

-45.89%

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

$136 ¥21.3K

$63.7 ฿2,093

114.26%

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

$24.23 ¥3,786

$12.85 ฿423

88.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.87 ¥4,822

$20.22 ฿665

52.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.52 ¥6,643

$38.74 ฿1,274

9.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$11.45 ¥1,789

$6.74 ฿221

69.88%

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

$507 ¥79.2K

$778 ฿25.6K

-34.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K ¥2.0M

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-10.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.28 ¥6,762

$54.3 ฿1,785

-20.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.70 ¥4,796

$25.45 ฿836

20.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 ¥11.3K

$94.3 ฿3,101

-23.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 ¥14.0K

$73.4 ฿2,414

21.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 ¥62.6K

$490 ฿16.1K

-18.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ¥51.9K

$289 ฿9,510

14.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,019 ¥159.2K

$894 ฿29.4K

14.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$638 ¥99.7K

$517 ฿17.0K

23.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,731 ¥582.8K

$1,955 ฿64.3K

90.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,887 ¥294.7K

$1,477 ฿48.5K

27.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,867 ¥291.7K

$602 ฿19.8K

210.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

5.57

-60.32%

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

Last update for Kanazawa: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $401 in Kanazawa versus $490 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 210% higher in Kanazawa, 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 $31.00 in Kanazawa versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $240 – 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

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

Kanazawa costs about 23% 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 $1,754 per month in Kanazawa and $1,421 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 $507 per month in Kanazawa and $778 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Kanazawa, 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 $947, than in Kanazawa at $1,170. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kanazawa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,170 in Kanazawa. 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, Kanazawa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.