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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,218 per month in Nagasaki vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,844 per month in Nagasaki vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,470 per month in Nagasaki vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Nagasaki costs about 31% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Nagasaki and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Nagasaki 11% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.21 ¥813

$2.08 ฿69.5

150.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.09 ¥2,979

$19.61 ฿655

-2.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 ¥792

$5.67 ฿189

-10.41%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ¥532

$1.81 ฿60.3

88.40%

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

$1.02 ¥159

$0.77 ฿25.65

32.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥101

$0.35 ฿11.53

85.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ¥347

$2.21 ฿73.9

0.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 ¥363

$3.79 ฿127

-38.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ¥245

$2.05 ฿68.4

-23.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥307

$1.51 ฿50.6

30.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.30 ¥982

$1.40 ฿46.69

350.00%

Eggs

$2.15 ¥335

$2.26 ฿75.4

-4.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.77 ¥1,524

$16.19 ฿540

-39.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 ¥501

$2.90 ฿96.7

10.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.61 ¥3,059

$9.42 ฿314

108.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 ¥577

$2.68 ฿89.4

38.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 ¥286

$1.09 ฿36.37

68.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 ¥467

$1.62 ฿54.0

85.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.34 ¥522

$1.46 ฿48.74

128.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.30 ¥358

$1.28 ฿42.65

79.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.56 ¥399

$1.06 ฿35.31

141.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ¥173

$0.72 ฿23.94

54.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 ¥158

$0.53 ฿17.56

90.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 ¥633

$4.23 ฿141

-4.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 ¥993

$18.29 ฿611

-65.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥277

$1.63 ฿54.4

9.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ¥303

$2.90 ฿96.8

-33.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.35 ¥210

$0.88 ฿29.32

53.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.5 ¥9,125

$53.8 ฿1,795

8.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.96 ¥618

$1.17 ฿39.14

238.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 ¥326

$0.58 ฿19.30

260.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.67 ¥2,912

$2.39 ฿79.6

681.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥176

$1.45 ฿48.41

-22.07%

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

$22.4K ¥3.5M

$21.0K ฿701.4K

6.58%

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

$17.9K ¥2.8M

$26.4K ฿882.0K

-32.20%

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

$195 ¥30.4K

$63.7 ฿2,125

206.33%

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

$25.63 ¥3,999

$12.89 ฿430

98.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.84 ¥5,437

$20.52 ฿685

69.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.26 ¥7,531

$39.02 ฿1,302

23.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$11.25 ¥1,756

$6.58 ฿220

70.97%

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

$130 ¥20.3K

$784 ฿26.2K

-83.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K ¥1.9M

$14.7K ฿489.8K

-15.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.36 ¥5,986

$55.1 ฿1,840

-30.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.70 ¥3,854

$24.74 ฿826

-0.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.0 ¥9,522

$94.1 ฿3,142

-35.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.40 ¥7,552

$74.0 ฿2,469

-34.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ¥78.9K

$490 ฿16.4K

3.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 ¥48.7K

$288 ฿9,620

8.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 ¥161.1K

$891 ฿29.8K

15.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 ¥121.1K

$521 ฿17.4K

48.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ¥584.9K

$1,974 ฿65.9K

89.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,816 ¥283.4K

$1,444 ฿48.2K

25.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.85

5.57

-66.79%

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

Last update for Nagasaki: September 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $506 in Nagasaki versus $490 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Nagasaki versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $286 in Nagasaki vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Chiang Mai wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Nagasaki costs about 31% 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 $1,827 per month in Nagasaki and $1,398 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 $130 per month in Nagasaki and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Nagasaki, 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 $932, than in Nagasaki at $1,218. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nagasaki it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,218 in Nagasaki. 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, Nagasaki makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.