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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,022 per month in Kurume vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,597 per month in Kurume vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,172 per month in Kurume vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kurume costs about 19% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kurume and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kurume 24% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.85 ¥788

$1.96 ฿65.8

147.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.86 ¥6,802

$18.35 ฿617

128.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.17 ¥678

$7.48 ฿252

-44.25%

Cappuccino

$2.10 ¥342

$2.02 ฿67.8

3.96%

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

$0.77 ¥125

$0.85 ฿28.50

-9.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 ¥89.4

$0.36 ฿11.96

52.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 ¥560

$2.14 ฿71.8

61.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 ¥285

$3.59 ฿121

-50.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 ¥230

$1.65 ฿55.5

-13.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ¥232

$1.57 ฿52.7

-8.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.13 ¥670

$1.19 ฿40.02

247.06%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥340

$1.94 ฿65.1

8.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 ¥1,665

$16.19 ฿544

-36.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.12 ¥994

$2.99 ฿101

104.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.02 ¥3,416

$10.94 ฿368

92.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 ¥496

$2.71 ฿91.2

12.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥229

$1.17 ฿39.25

20.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 ¥222

$1.69 ฿56.7

-19.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.83 ¥947

$1.60 ฿54.0

264.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 ¥448

$1.38 ฿46.54

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 ¥508

$1.20 ฿40.45

160.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ¥159

$0.67 ฿22.50

46.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥124

$0.56 ฿18.73

35.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 ¥643

$4.64 ฿156

-14.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.04 ¥982

$17.62 ฿593

-65.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 ¥315

$1.86 ฿62.5

4.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 ¥196

$3.30 ฿111

-63.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 ¥260

$0.88 ฿29.68

81.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.7 ¥8,892

$19.34 ฿650

182.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.78 ¥776

$1.36 ฿45.90

251.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

$1.34 ฿44.98

117.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.75 ¥3,210

$8.21 ฿276

140.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 ¥115

$1.22 ฿41.18

-42.62%

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

$23.3K ¥3.8M

$21.4K ฿718.1K

9.23%

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

$19.7K ¥3.2M

$22.5K ฿757.7K

-12.47%

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

$215 ¥34.9K

$70.7 ฿2,376

204.26%

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

$27.50 ¥4,468

$14.04 ฿472

95.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.68 ¥4,010

$17.49 ฿588

41.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 ¥8,933

$42.15 ฿1,417

30.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.64 ¥2,217

$6.88 ฿231

98.26%

Cinema Ticket

$7.83 ¥1,272

$5.92 ฿199

32.26%

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

$416 ¥67.6K

$309 ฿10.4K

34.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-11.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.71 ¥6,940

$55.8 ฿1,875

-23.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.93 ¥2,263

$26.11 ฿878

-46.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.69 ¥4,336

$83.0 ฿2,792

-67.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.22 ¥5,561

$70.5 ฿2,369

-51.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$211 ¥34.3K

$432 ฿14.5K

-51.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 ¥22.8K

$239 ฿8,035

-41.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$527 ¥85.6K

$822 ฿27.7K

-35.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 ¥55.7K

$512 ฿17.2K

-32.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,477 ¥727.4K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

133.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,230 ¥362.4K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

52.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,480 ¥240.5K

$579 ฿19.5K

155.46%

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 Kurume: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $211 in Kurume versus $432 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 155% higher in Kurume, 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 Kurume versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $243 – 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

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

Kurume costs about 19% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,533 per month in Kurume and $1,292 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 Kurume and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Kurume, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,022 in Kurume and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,022 in Kurume. 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, Kurume makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.