Cost of Living Comparison Between Setagaya-ku and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Setagaya-ku and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,177 per month in Setagaya-ku vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,886 per month in Setagaya-ku vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,595 per month in Setagaya-ku vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Setagaya-ku costs about 37% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.04 ¥1,144

$1.96 ฿65.8

259.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.03 ¥5,530

$18.35 ฿617

85.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥853

$7.48 ฿252

-29.81%

Cappuccino

$3.26 ¥530

$2.02 ฿67.8

61.39%

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

$1.13 ¥184

$0.85 ฿28.50

32.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥124

$0.36 ฿11.96

113.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 ¥345

$2.14 ฿71.8

-0.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ¥332

$3.59 ฿121

-43.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ¥252

$1.65 ฿55.5

-6.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 ¥280

$1.57 ฿52.7

9.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.95 ¥805

$1.19 ฿40.02

315.97%

Eggs

$1.59 ¥258

$1.94 ฿65.1

-18.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 ¥1,609

$16.19 ฿544

-38.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ¥1,015

$2.99 ฿101

109.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.22 ¥2,473

$10.94 ฿368

39.12%

Apples (1kg)

$5.96 ¥968

$2.71 ฿91.2

119.93%

Banana (1kg)

$3.10 ¥503

$1.17 ฿39.25

164.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 ¥649

$1.69 ฿56.7

136.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.48 ¥729

$1.60 ฿54.0

180.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 ¥527

$1.38 ฿46.54

135.51%

Onion (1kg)

$3.67 ¥596

$1.20 ฿40.45

205.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 ¥224

$0.67 ฿22.50

105.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥134

$0.56 ฿18.73

46.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 ¥666

$4.64 ฿156

-11.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.36 ¥1,521

$17.62 ฿593

-46.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥298

$1.86 ฿62.5

-1.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ¥348

$3.30 ฿111

-35.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 ¥242

$0.88 ฿29.68

69.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 ¥9,139

$19.34 ฿650

190.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 ¥576

$1.36 ฿45.90

160.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.99 ¥486

$1.34 ฿44.98

123.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.45 ¥3,647

$8.21 ฿276

173.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥198

$1.22 ฿41.18

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

$22.8K ¥3.7M

$21.4K ฿718.1K

6.75%

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

$18.2K ¥3.0M

$22.5K ฿757.7K

-19.30%

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

$83.7 ¥13.6K

$70.7 ฿2,376

18.49%

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

$27.41 ¥4,453

$14.04 ฿472

95.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.46 ¥5,600

$17.49 ฿588

97.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.43 ¥7,868

$42.15 ฿1,417

14.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.61 ¥2,211

$6.88 ฿231

97.82%

Cinema Ticket

$13.23 ¥2,149

$5.92 ฿199

123.48%

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

$285 ¥46.3K

$309 ฿10.4K

-7.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K ¥2.2M

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-7.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.41 ¥6,891

$55.8 ฿1,875

-23.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.10 ¥3,916

$26.11 ฿878

-7.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.69 ¥7,262

$83.0 ฿2,792

-46.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.6 ¥15.9K

$70.5 ฿2,369

38.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ¥75.8K

$432 ฿14.5K

8.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 ¥53.7K

$239 ฿8,035

38.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$865 ¥140.5K

$822 ฿27.7K

5.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$664 ¥107.9K

$512 ฿17.2K

29.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,241 ¥689.0K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

121.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,788 ¥290.5K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

21.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,417 ¥230.3K

$579 ฿19.5K

144.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-60.00%

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

Last update for Setagaya-ku: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Setagaya-ku 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 145% higher in Setagaya-ku, 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 $34.00 in Setagaya-ku versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $317 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

Setagaya-ku vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Setagaya-ku costs about 37% 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 $1,766 per month in Setagaya-ku 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 $285 per month in Setagaya-ku 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 30% more in Setagaya-ku, 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 $861, than in Setagaya-ku at $1,177. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Setagaya-ku it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,177 in Setagaya-ku. 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, Setagaya-ku makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.