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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $968 per month in Oita vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,610 per month in Oita vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,253 per month in Oita vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Oita costs about 2% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Oita and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Oita 30% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.96 ¥775

$2.08 ฿68.5

138.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.11 ¥6,579

$19.64 ฿646

114.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 ¥896

$5.65 ฿186

1.59%

Cappuccino

$1.94 ¥302

$1.81 ฿59.3

7.18%

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

$1.06 ¥166

$0.71 ฿23.44

49.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥95.8

$0.32 ฿10.38

90.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 ¥500

$2.24 ฿73.5

42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ¥335

$3.63 ฿119

-41.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 ¥206

$1.96 ฿64.4

-32.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 ¥194

$1.50 ฿49.38

-17.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.22 ¥972

$1.34 ฿43.92

364.18%

Eggs

$2.19 ¥342

$2.26 ฿74.4

-3.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.05 ¥477

$16.26 ฿534

-81.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.46 ¥853

$2.95 ฿97.1

85.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 ¥1,960

$9.94 ฿327

26.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 ¥342

$2.57 ฿84.5

-14.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 ¥198

$1.06 ฿34.72

19.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 ¥247

$1.61 ฿53.0

-1.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 ¥312

$1.52 ฿49.96

31.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ¥194

$1.27 ฿41.76

-2.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ¥200

$1.07 ฿35.05

19.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 ¥142

$0.72 ฿23.67

26.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 ¥153

$0.51 ฿16.72

92.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥594

$4.19 ฿138

-9.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.27 ¥980

$17.87 ฿587

-64.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ¥246

$1.69 ฿55.7

-6.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ¥293

$2.84 ฿93.2

-33.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥231

$0.93 ฿30.42

59.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.6 ¥8,682

$53.9 ฿1,770

3.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 ¥627

$1.23 ฿40.58

226.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 ¥315

$0.58 ฿18.96

248.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.55 ¥2,742

$2.42 ฿79.7

625.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥172

$1.41 ฿46.42

-21.99%

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

$21.2K ¥3.3M

$21.4K ฿704.9K

-0.97%

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

$17.0K ¥2.7M

$27.3K ฿898.5K

-37.77%

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

$49.78 ¥7,776

$63.7 ฿2,093

-21.82%

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

$25.01 ¥3,908

$12.85 ฿423

94.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.56 ¥5,086

$20.22 ฿665

61.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.61 ¥7,750

$38.74 ฿1,274

28.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.97 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$9.50 ¥1,485

$6.74 ฿221

40.95%

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

$123 ¥19.3K

$778 ฿25.6K

-84.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K ¥1.9M

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-17.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.43 ¥5,848

$54.3 ฿1,785

-31.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.59 ¥3,685

$25.45 ฿836

-7.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.4 ¥9,275

$94.3 ฿3,101

-37.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.28 ¥7,230

$73.4 ฿2,414

-36.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$468 ¥73.0K

$490 ฿16.1K

-4.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 ¥50.0K

$289 ฿9,510

10.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,076 ¥168.1K

$894 ฿29.4K

20.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$717 ¥112.0K

$517 ฿17.0K

38.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,407 ¥688.4K

$1,955 ฿64.3K

125.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,908 ¥298.1K

$1,477 ฿48.5K

29.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$992 ¥154.9K

$602 ฿19.8K

64.73%

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 Oita: September 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $468 in Oita 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.

Salaries run about 65% higher in Oita, 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 Oita versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $214 in Oita vs $240 in Chiang Mai – so Oita 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

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

Oita costs about 2% 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 $1,451 per month in Oita and $1,421 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 $123 per month in Oita and $778 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 12% cheaper in Oita – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Oita at $968. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Oita it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $968 in Oita. 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, Oita makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.