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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,290 per month in Kitakyushu vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,998 per month in Kitakyushu vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,706 per month in Kitakyushu vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kitakyushu costs about 48% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.35 ¥1,175

$1.98 ฿64.3

271.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.01 ¥6,719

$18.80 ฿612

123.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ¥788

$7.75 ฿252

-36.39%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ¥483

$1.92 ฿62.5

57.29%

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

$1.09 ¥174

$0.79 ฿25.79

37.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥124

$0.36 ฿11.62

113.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 ¥419

$2.21 ฿72.1

18.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ¥513

$3.66 ฿119

-12.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 ¥250

$1.65 ฿53.8

-5.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 ¥266

$1.63 ฿53.2

1.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.05 ¥648

$1.19 ฿38.86

240.34%

Eggs

$2.54 ¥407

$2.00 ฿65.1

27.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.11 ¥1,617

$15.98 ฿520

-36.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.22 ¥995

$3.03 ฿98.5

105.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.46 ¥3,273

$10.86 ฿354

88.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 ¥508

$2.76 ฿90.0

15.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 ¥218

$1.18 ฿38.42

15.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 ¥219

$1.64 ฿53.5

-16.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.12 ¥500

$1.52 ฿49.51

105.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 ¥453

$1.38 ฿45.10

105.07%

Onion (1kg)

$3.12 ¥498

$1.19 ฿38.84

162.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ¥147

$0.70 ฿22.86

31.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥127

$0.56 ฿18.13

41.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ¥638

$4.58 ฿149

-12.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.19 ¥990

$16.56 ฿539

-62.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ¥312

$1.83 ฿59.5

6.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥341

$3.20 ฿104

-33.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 ¥263

$0.88 ฿28.56

87.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.6 ¥8,888

$18.72 ฿610

196.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.67 ¥748

$1.36 ฿44.16

243.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.92 ¥467

$1.34 ฿43.65

117.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.35 ¥3,095

$7.84 ฿256

146.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥189

$1.23 ฿39.92

-4.07%

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

$23.1K ¥3.7M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

6.77%

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

$19.8K ¥3.2M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

-12.26%

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

$217 ¥34.7K

$70.5 ฿2,298

207.53%

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

$26.66 ¥4,263

$13.68 ฿445

94.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.62 ¥5,697

$17.45 ฿568

104.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 ¥9,022

$41.33 ฿1,346

36.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.65 ¥2,183

$6.96 ฿227

96.12%

Cinema Ticket

$14.11 ¥2,256

$5.77 ฿188

144.54%

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

$418 ¥66.8K

$307 ฿10.0K

36.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K ¥2.1M

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-8.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.39 ¥6,939

$55.8 ฿1,817

-22.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.98 ¥4,635

$26.21 ฿854

10.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.9 ¥10.4K

$85.8 ฿2,793

-24.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.5 ¥9,512

$72.2 ฿2,353

-17.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$463 ¥74.1K

$430 ฿14.0K

7.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 ¥52.5K

$239 ฿7,774

37.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$856 ¥136.9K

$817 ฿26.6K

4.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$662 ¥105.9K

$511 ฿16.6K

29.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,507 ¥720.9K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

127.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,376 ¥380.0K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

60.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,503 ¥240.3K

$619 ฿20.2K

142.81%

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 Kitakyushu: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $463 in Kitakyushu versus $430 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 143% higher in Kitakyushu, 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 Kitakyushu versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $241 – 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

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

Kitakyushu costs about 48% 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 $1,935 per month in Kitakyushu and $1,303 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 $418 per month in Kitakyushu and $307 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Kitakyushu, 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 $869, than in Kitakyushu at $1,290. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kitakyushu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,290 in Kitakyushu. 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, Kitakyushu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.