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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,241 per month in Shiga vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,929 per month in Shiga vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,618 per month in Shiga vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Shiga costs about 33% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shiga and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Shiga 9% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.46 ¥1,010

$2.08 ฿69.2

210.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.75 ¥4,959

$19.61 ฿652

61.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.04 ¥788

$5.67 ฿189

-11.11%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ¥472

$1.81 ฿60.0

66.85%

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

$1.31 ¥205

$0.77 ฿25.55

70.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 ¥110

$0.35 ฿11.48

102.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.83 ¥442

$2.21 ฿73.6

28.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ¥566

$3.79 ฿126

-4.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 ¥205

$2.05 ฿68.1

-35.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 ¥201

$1.51 ฿50.4

-14.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.97 ¥619

$1.40 ฿46.51

183.57%

Eggs

$2.10 ¥329

$2.26 ฿75.1

-7.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.56 ¥1,493

$16.19 ฿538

-40.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.37 ¥1,463

$2.90 ฿96.3

223.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.74 ¥2,926

$9.42 ฿313

98.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ¥555

$2.68 ฿89.1

32.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 ¥305

$1.09 ฿36.23

78.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 ¥320

$1.62 ฿53.8

26.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.12 ¥643

$1.46 ฿48.55

182.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ¥243

$1.28 ฿42.48

21.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ¥181

$1.06 ฿35.17

9.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ¥210

$0.72 ฿23.85

87.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥125

$0.53 ฿17.49

50.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 ¥611

$4.23 ฿141

-7.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.49 ¥1,482

$18.29 ฿608

-48.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 ¥302

$1.63 ฿54.2

18.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ¥500

$2.90 ฿96.5

10.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 ¥185

$0.88 ฿29.20

34.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.5 ¥9,138

$53.8 ฿1,788

8.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 ¥599

$1.17 ฿38.99

228.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.17 ¥495

$0.58 ฿19.22

446.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.08 ¥3,448

$2.39 ฿79.3

823.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ¥174

$1.45 ฿48.22

-23.45%

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

$21.8K ¥3.4M

$21.0K ฿698.6K

3.96%

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

$15.2K ¥2.4M

$26.4K ฿878.6K

-42.60%

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

$143 ¥22.3K

$63.7 ฿2,116

124.30%

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

$25.02 ¥3,908

$12.89 ฿429

94.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.05 ¥2,975

$20.52 ฿682

-7.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.8 ¥8,091

$39.02 ฿1,297

32.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 ¥1,921

$6.58 ฿219

86.93%

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

$535 ¥83.5K

$784 ฿26.1K

-31.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K ¥2.1M

$14.7K ฿487.9K

-10.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 ¥7,826

$55.1 ฿1,833

-9.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.73 ¥4,799

$24.74 ฿823

24.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 ¥11.6K

$94.1 ฿3,130

-21.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.2 ¥14.7K

$74.0 ฿2,459

27.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ¥79.0K

$490 ฿16.3K

3.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 ¥52.8K

$288 ฿9,582

17.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,045 ¥163.2K

$891 ฿29.6K

17.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$744 ¥116.3K

$521 ฿17.3K

42.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,944 ¥615.9K

$1,974 ฿65.6K

99.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,670 ¥260.8K

$1,444 ฿48.0K

15.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,227 ¥191.6K

$602 ฿20.0K

103.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.21

5.57

-60.32%

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

Last update for Shiga: September 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $506 in Shiga 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 104% higher in Shiga, 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 $32.00 in Shiga versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $241 – 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

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

Shiga costs about 33% 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 $1,862 per month in Shiga 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 $535 per month in Shiga 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 23% more in Shiga, 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 Shiga at $1,241. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shiga it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,241 in Shiga. 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, Shiga makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.