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 $1,178 per month in Nagasaki vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,884 per month in Nagasaki vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,590 per month in Nagasaki vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Nagasaki costs about 38% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Nagasaki and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Nagasaki 12% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.50 ¥877

$1.96 ฿63.6

180.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.61 ¥3,287

$18.81 ฿611

9.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ¥904

$7.92 ฿258

-28.41%

Cappuccino

$3.16 ¥504

$1.91 ฿62.2

65.45%

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

$1.08 ¥172

$0.84 ฿27.25

28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥121

$0.35 ฿11.44

117.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 ¥392

$2.21 ฿71.7

11.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 ¥381

$3.80 ฿124

-37.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥256

$1.64 ฿53.2

-1.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 ¥202

$1.62 ฿52.8

-21.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.20 ¥671

$1.18 ฿38.40

255.93%

Eggs

$2.20 ¥350

$2.01 ฿65.4

9.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 ¥1,639

$15.89 ฿517

-35.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 ¥552

$3.01 ฿98.0

14.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.52 ¥3,273

$10.77 ฿350

90.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 ¥511

$2.61 ฿85.0

22.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 ¥220

$1.22 ฿39.65

13.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 ¥228

$1.70 ฿55.4

-15.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.95 ¥949

$1.58 ฿51.2

276.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 ¥431

$1.32 ฿42.89

104.55%

Onion (1kg)

$3.28 ¥523

$1.17 ฿38.01

180.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 ¥147

$0.67 ฿21.85

37.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥84.1

$0.56 ฿18.21

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.81 ¥607

$4.53 ฿147

-15.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.13 ¥978

$18.20 ฿592

-66.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 ¥321

$1.83 ฿59.6

9.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ¥325

$3.23 ฿105

-36.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ¥150

$0.89 ฿28.83

5.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 ¥18.1K

$19.38 ฿630

486.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 ¥665

$1.35 ฿43.95

208.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥463

$1.35 ฿43.79

115.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.21 ¥3,065

$8.25 ฿268

132.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥191

$1.27 ฿41.40

-5.51%

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

$23.5K ¥3.8M

$21.2K ฿687.8K

11.22%

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

$20.0K ¥3.2M

$22.5K ฿731.0K

-11.14%

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

$217 ¥34.7K

$70.2 ฿2,281

209.71%

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

$26.86 ¥4,285

$13.77 ฿448

95.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.27 ¥5,787

$17.60 ฿572

106.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 ¥9,005

$41.57 ฿1,352

35.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.06 ¥2,243

$6.60 ฿215

113.03%

Cinema Ticket

$13.61 ¥2,172

$5.78 ฿188

135.47%

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

$265 ¥42.2K

$306 ฿9,953

-13.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K ¥2.2M

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-8.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.77 ¥6,982

$54.4 ฿1,768

-19.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.05 ¥4,795

$26.14 ฿850

14.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.4 ¥10.4K

$84.5 ฿2,748

-22.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.7 ¥9,521

$69.4 ฿2,257

-14.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$313 ¥49.9K

$424 ฿13.8K

-26.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 ¥32.8K

$238 ฿7,743

-13.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$881 ¥140.5K

$825 ฿26.8K

6.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 ¥104.3K

$515 ฿16.7K

26.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,531 ¥722.9K

$2,049 ฿66.6K

121.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,615 ¥257.7K

$1,523 ฿49.5K

6.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.6K

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 Nagasaki: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $313 in Nagasaki versus $424 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 $21.00 in Nagasaki versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 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

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

Nagasaki costs about 38% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,766 per month in Nagasaki and $1,278 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 $265 per month in Nagasaki and $306 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 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 $852, than in Nagasaki at $1,178. 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 $852 versus $1,178 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.