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 $943 per month in Kurume vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,507 per month in Kurume vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,072 per month in Kurume vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Kurume is about 1% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Kurume and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kurume 32% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.17 ¥641

$2.10 ฿69.3

98.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.86 ¥6,428

$19.84 ฿656

110.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.58 ¥550

$5.79 ฿191

-38.17%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ¥280

$1.83 ฿60.4

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

$0.66 ¥101

$0.78 ฿25.61

-15.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ¥77.0

$0.31 ฿10.37

61.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 ¥475

$2.34 ฿77.2

32.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 ¥243

$3.70 ฿122

-57.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥188

$2.03 ฿67.1

-39.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 ¥196

$1.60 ฿52.7

-20.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.91 ¥754

$1.42 ฿46.75

245.77%

Eggs

$1.90 ¥292

$2.18 ฿71.9

-12.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.12 ¥2,782

$15.91 ฿526

13.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.48 ¥842

$3.07 ฿102

78.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.35 ¥2,664

$9.87 ฿326

75.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 ¥541

$2.63 ฿86.8

33.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 ¥286

$1.10 ฿36.19

69.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 ¥430

$1.63 ฿53.8

71.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥497

$1.53 ฿50.6

111.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 ¥330

$1.24 ฿41.13

73.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 ¥386

$1.13 ฿37.37

123.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ¥156

$0.74 ฿24.38

37.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥140

$0.50 ฿16.48

82.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.51 ¥540

$4.28 ฿141

-17.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.29 ¥966

$17.97 ฿594

-65.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ¥258

$1.70 ฿56.1

-1.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 ¥173

$2.90 ฿95.7

-61.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.44 ¥222

$0.94 ฿31.13

53.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.6 ¥8,688

$55.3 ฿1,827

2.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.79 ¥582

$1.23 ฿40.76

208.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 ¥314

$0.53 ฿17.66

284.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.64 ¥2,708

$2.40 ฿79.3

635.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 ¥98.2

$1.44 ฿47.55

-55.56%

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

$21.9K ¥3.4M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

3.41%

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

$17.6K ¥2.7M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

-35.39%

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

$214 ¥32.8K

$64.9 ฿2,145

228.99%

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

$24.15 ¥3,709

$13.35 ฿441

80.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.63 ¥3,474

$20.83 ฿688

8.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.3 ¥7,871

$40.42 ฿1,336

26.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.93 ¥1,065

$6.71 ฿222

3.28%

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

$124 ¥19.0K

$787 ฿26.0K

-84.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ¥1.8M

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-21.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.04 ¥5,687

$56.2 ฿1,858

-34.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.33 ¥1,893

$24.95 ฿824

-50.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$24.83 ¥3,813

$92.7 ฿3,063

-73.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.95 ¥4,753

$75.1 ฿2,482

-58.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 ¥72.6K

$484 ฿16.0K

-2.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$124 ¥19.1K

$287 ฿9,491

-56.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$463 ¥71.1K

$910 ฿30.1K

-49.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ¥47.5K

$531 ฿17.5K

-41.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,320 ¥663.4K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

118.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,916 ¥294.3K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

32.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,483 ¥227.8K

$605 ฿20.0K

145.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.97

5.57

-64.63%

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

Last update for Kurume: September 5, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $473 in Kurume versus $484 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 145% higher in Kurume, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Kurume versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $242 – 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

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Kurume, 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 $1,414 per month in Kurume and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kurume, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $124 per month in Kurume and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 20% cheaper in Chiang Mai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kurume, where all-in costs run around $943, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Kurume it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kurume costs $943 versus $950 in Chiang Mai. 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 Kurume. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.