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 $1,196 per month in Kanazawa vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,871 per month in Kanazawa vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,547 per month in Kanazawa vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kanazawa costs about 38% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kanazawa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kanazawa 11% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.69 ¥910

$1.94 ฿63.6

193.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.23 ¥5,634

$18.64 ฿609

89.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 ¥772

$7.82 ฿256

-38.36%

Cappuccino

$3.32 ¥532

$1.95 ฿63.9

70.26%

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

$1.09 ¥174

$0.85 ฿27.80

28.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥115

$0.35 ฿11.60

105.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.80 ¥447

$2.13 ฿69.7

31.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 ¥705

$3.73 ฿122

17.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥257

$1.71 ฿56.0

-5.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 ¥239

$1.63 ฿53.3

-7.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.69 ¥749

$1.14 ฿37.18

311.40%

Eggs

$2.44 ¥390

$1.93 ฿63.2

26.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.62 ¥1,699

$16.21 ฿530

-34.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 ¥1,012

$3.12 ฿102

102.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.04 ¥3,045

$10.90 ฿356

74.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 ¥582

$2.75 ฿90.1

32.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 ¥351

$1.21 ฿39.56

80.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 ¥412

$1.62 ฿53.0

59.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 ¥711

$1.59 ฿51.9

179.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 ¥265

$1.40 ฿45.75

18.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 ¥198

$1.17 ฿38.20

5.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ¥222

$0.66 ฿21.62

110.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥142

$0.53 ฿17.24

67.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 ¥614

$4.69 ฿153

-18.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.13 ¥1,461

$18.66 ฿610

-51.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 ¥331

$1.80 ฿58.8

15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ¥480

$3.23 ฿106

-7.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$0.90 ฿29.28

78.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.8 ¥8,767

$19.21 ฿628

185.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 ¥725

$1.41 ฿45.96

221.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.36 ¥537

$1.29 ฿42.16

160.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.66 ¥3,785

$7.84 ฿256

201.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥188

$1.27 ฿41.62

-7.09%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$21.3K ฿695.5K

10.30%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$22.2K ฿726.1K

-23.66%

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

$130 ¥20.8K

$69.1 ฿2,258

88.63%

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

$27.51 ¥4,400

$14.08 ฿460

95.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.22 ¥4,833

$18.00 ฿588

67.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.01 ¥7,680

$41.06 ฿1,342

16.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.76 ¥2,201

$6.96 ฿227

97.70%

Cinema Ticket

$12.65 ¥2,023

$5.92 ฿193

113.68%

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

$70.4 ¥11.3K

$299 ฿9,775

-76.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-30.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.98 ¥7,034

$54.7 ฿1,788

-19.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.19 ¥4,669

$26.77 ฿875

9.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 ¥10.7K

$85.0 ฿2,778

-21.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.4 ¥15.1K

$70.6 ฿2,308

33.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥76.1K

$428 ฿14.0K

11.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ¥53.1K

$237 ฿7,759

39.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 ¥138.6K

$801 ฿26.2K

8.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 ¥105.2K

$515 ฿16.9K

27.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,365 ¥698.2K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

121.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,655 ¥424.7K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

80.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,846 ¥295.2K

$617 ฿20.2K

198.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.81

-63.80%

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

Last update for Kanazawa: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Kanazawa 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 199% 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 $35.00 in Kanazawa versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 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

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

Kanazawa costs about 38% 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 $1,794 per month in Kanazawa 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 $70.4 per month in Kanazawa 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 23% 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 $866, than in Kanazawa at $1,196. 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 $866 versus $1,196 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.