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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,325 per month in Kashiwa vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,836 per month in Kashiwa vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,347 per month in Kashiwa vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kashiwa costs about 53% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kashiwa and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kashiwa 1% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.99 ¥1,118

$1.94 ฿63.6

260.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.94 ¥4,469

$18.64 ฿609

49.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ¥907

$7.82 ฿256

-27.49%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ¥494

$1.95 ฿63.9

58.46%

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

$0.84 ¥135

$0.85 ฿27.80

-1.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥124

$0.35 ฿11.60

122.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ¥342

$2.13 ฿69.7

0.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 ¥435

$3.73 ฿122

-27.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥197

$1.71 ฿56.0

-28.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 ¥181

$1.63 ฿53.3

-30.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.06 ¥809

$1.14 ฿37.18

343.86%

Eggs

$2.03 ¥325

$1.93 ฿63.2

5.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.04 ¥1,126

$16.21 ฿530

-56.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.39 ¥1,023

$3.12 ฿102

104.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.32 ¥1,651

$10.90 ฿356

-5.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.97 ¥794

$2.75 ฿90.1

80.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 ¥452

$1.21 ฿39.56

133.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.03 ¥645

$1.62 ฿53.0

148.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.10 ¥975

$1.59 ฿51.9

283.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 ¥439

$1.40 ฿45.75

96.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 ¥357

$1.17 ฿38.20

90.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ¥112

$0.66 ฿21.62

6.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥90.4

$0.53 ฿17.24

7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 ¥650

$4.69 ฿153

-13.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.38 ¥1,501

$18.66 ฿610

-49.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥295

$1.80 ฿58.8

2.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥325

$3.23 ฿106

-37.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.56 ¥250

$0.90 ฿29.28

73.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.4 ¥8,699

$19.21 ฿628

183.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 ¥539

$1.41 ฿45.96

139.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.38 ¥380

$1.29 ฿42.16

84.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.04 ¥3,525

$7.84 ฿256

181.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥191

$1.27 ฿41.62

-6.30%

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

$23.1K ¥3.7M

$21.3K ฿695.5K

8.58%

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

$18.2K ¥2.9M

$22.2K ฿726.1K

-18.24%

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

$143 ¥22.9K

$69.1 ฿2,258

107.25%

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

$27.74 ¥4,437

$14.08 ฿460

97.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.75 ¥5,398

$18.00 ฿588

87.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 ¥8,893

$41.06 ฿1,342

35.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.14 ¥2,261

$6.96 ฿227

103.16%

Cinema Ticket

$13.57 ¥2,171

$5.92 ฿193

129.22%

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

$281 ¥45.0K

$299 ฿9,775

-5.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K ¥2.2M

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-7.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.98 ¥6,715

$54.7 ฿1,788

-23.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.95 ¥4,631

$26.77 ฿875

8.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.6 ¥9,684

$85.0 ฿2,778

-28.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ¥17.7K

$70.6 ฿2,308

56.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 ¥101.7K

$428 ฿14.0K

48.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 ¥69.8K

$237 ฿7,759

83.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 ¥134.0K

$801 ฿26.2K

4.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 ¥84.0K

$515 ฿16.9K

1.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,667 ¥746.4K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

136.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,247 ¥359.4K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

52.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,486 ¥397.6K

$617 ฿20.2K

302.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.05

-59.00%

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

Last update for Kashiwa: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $636 in Kashiwa 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 303% higher in Kashiwa, 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 $28.00 in Kashiwa versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $279 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

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

Kashiwa costs about 53% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,987 per month in Kashiwa 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 $281 per month in Kashiwa 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 13% more in Kashiwa, 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 Kashiwa at $1,325. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kashiwa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,325 in Kashiwa. 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, Kashiwa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.