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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,188 per month in Toyama vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,866 per month in Toyama vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,543 per month in Toyama vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Toyama costs about 37% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Toyama and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Toyama 11% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.71 ¥913

$1.94 ฿63.6

194.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.63 ¥6,659

$18.64 ฿609

123.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.24 ¥678

$7.82 ฿256

-45.78%

Cappuccino

$3.07 ¥491

$1.95 ฿63.9

57.44%

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

$0.67 ¥108

$0.85 ฿27.80

-21.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ¥102

$0.35 ฿11.60

82.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ¥341

$2.13 ฿69.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ¥327

$3.73 ฿122

-45.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 ¥198

$1.71 ฿56.0

-27.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ¥127

$1.63 ฿53.3

-50.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.99 ¥798

$1.14 ฿37.18

337.72%

Eggs

$2.31 ¥370

$1.93 ฿63.2

19.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.41 ¥1,025

$16.21 ฿530

-60.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.51 ¥561

$3.12 ฿102

12.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.29 ¥2,446

$10.90 ฿356

40.28%

Apples (1kg)

$5.88 ¥940

$2.75 ฿90.1

113.82%

Banana (1kg)

$3.14 ¥502

$1.21 ฿39.56

159.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.97 ¥636

$1.62 ฿53.0

145.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.01 ¥962

$1.59 ฿51.9

277.99%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 ¥521

$1.40 ฿45.75

132.86%

Onion (1kg)

$4.35 ¥695

$1.17 ฿38.20

271.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 ¥216

$0.66 ฿21.62

104.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ¥100

$0.53 ฿17.24

18.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 ¥679

$4.69 ฿153

-9.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.29 ¥1,486

$18.66 ฿610

-50.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 ¥281

$1.80 ฿58.8

-2.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ¥327

$3.23 ฿106

-36.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.39 ¥222

$0.90 ฿29.28

54.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.4 ¥9,013

$19.21 ฿628

193.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 ¥540

$1.41 ฿45.96

139.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.30 ¥527

$1.29 ฿42.16

155.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.77 ¥3,482

$7.84 ฿256

177.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥193

$1.27 ฿41.62

-5.51%

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

$23.0K ¥3.7M

$21.3K ฿695.5K

7.94%

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

$18.3K ¥2.9M

$22.2K ฿726.1K

-17.74%

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

$145 ¥23.1K

$69.1 ฿2,258

109.43%

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

$27.48 ¥4,396

$14.08 ฿460

95.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.49 ¥5,356

$18.00 ฿588

86.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.17 ¥6,746

$41.06 ฿1,342

2.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.60 ¥2,175

$6.96 ฿227

95.40%

Cinema Ticket

$12.55 ¥2,008

$5.92 ฿193

111.99%

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

$137 ¥22.0K

$299 ฿9,775

-54.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K ¥2.2M

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-8.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.39 ¥6,781

$54.7 ฿1,788

-22.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.83 ¥4,771

$26.77 ฿875

11.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.1 ¥9,610

$85.0 ฿2,778

-29.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 ¥17.5K

$70.6 ฿2,308

55.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 ¥41.9K

$428 ฿14.0K

-38.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 ¥54.9K

$237 ฿7,759

44.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$704 ¥112.6K

$801 ฿26.2K

-12.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 ¥104.7K

$515 ฿16.9K

27.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,182 ¥669.0K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

111.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,569 ¥410.9K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

74.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.05

-59.00%

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

Last update for Toyama: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $262 in Toyama versus $428 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 $42.00 in Toyama versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $246 – 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

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

Toyama costs about 37% 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 $1,783 per month in Toyama and $1,300 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 $137 per month in Toyama and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Toyama, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,188 in Toyama and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,188 in Toyama. 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, Toyama makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.