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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,281 per month in Utsunomiya vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,919 per month in Utsunomiya vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,557 per month in Utsunomiya vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Utsunomiya costs about 49% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Utsunomiya and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Utsunomiya 4% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.12 ¥1,319

$1.96 ฿65.8

314.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.07 ¥3,099

$18.35 ฿617

3.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 ¥820

$7.48 ฿252

-32.49%

Cappuccino

$2.36 ¥384

$2.02 ฿67.8

16.83%

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

$1.21 ¥197

$0.85 ฿28.50

42.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥149

$0.36 ฿11.96

155.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 ¥477

$2.14 ฿71.8

37.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ¥438

$3.59 ฿121

-25.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥265

$1.65 ฿55.5

-1.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥246

$1.57 ฿52.7

-3.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 ¥861

$1.19 ฿40.02

345.38%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥376

$1.94 ฿65.1

19.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.74 ¥2,557

$16.19 ฿544

-2.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.88 ¥1,280

$2.99 ฿101

163.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.06 ¥3,747

$10.94 ฿368

110.79%

Apples (1kg)

$5.28 ¥858

$2.71 ฿91.2

94.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 ¥436

$1.17 ฿39.25

129.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.74 ¥933

$1.69 ฿56.7

239.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.88 ¥956

$1.60 ฿54.0

267.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 ¥536

$1.38 ฿46.54

139.13%

Onion (1kg)

$3.48 ¥566

$1.20 ฿40.45

190.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ¥241

$0.67 ฿22.50

120.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥141

$0.56 ฿18.73

55.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ¥670

$4.64 ฿156

-11.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.97 ¥1,457

$17.62 ฿593

-49.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 ¥345

$1.86 ฿62.5

13.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ¥473

$3.30 ฿111

-11.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 ¥318

$0.88 ฿29.68

122.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.68 ¥6,772

$19.34 ฿650

115.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 ¥575

$1.36 ฿45.90

160.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.89 ¥470

$1.34 ฿44.98

115.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.16 ¥4,250

$8.21 ฿276

218.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥189

$1.22 ฿41.18

-4.92%

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

$23.2K ¥3.8M

$21.4K ฿718.1K

8.41%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$22.5K ฿757.7K

-23.35%

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

$164 ¥26.7K

$70.7 ฿2,376

132.26%

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

$26.26 ¥4,267

$14.04 ฿472

87.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.99 ¥5,361

$17.49 ฿588

88.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 ¥8,970

$42.15 ฿1,417

30.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.71 ¥2,227

$6.88 ฿231

99.27%

Cinema Ticket

$13.20 ¥2,145

$5.92 ฿199

122.97%

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

$510 ¥82.8K

$309 ฿10.4K

65.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K ¥2.5M

$14.9K ฿500.4K

2.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 ¥10.0K

$55.8 ฿1,875

10.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.69 ¥6,774

$26.11 ฿878

59.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.0 ¥10.7K

$83.0 ฿2,792

-20.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.6 ¥15.1K

$70.5 ฿2,369

31.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$412 ¥66.9K

$432 ฿14.5K

-4.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 ¥44.4K

$239 ฿8,035

14.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 ¥112.9K

$822 ฿27.7K

-15.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$416 ¥67.6K

$512 ฿17.2K

-18.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

-65.60%

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

Last update for Utsunomiya: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $412 in Utsunomiya 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Utsunomiya versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $380 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

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

Utsunomiya costs about 49% 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 $1,922 per month in Utsunomiya 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 $510 per month in Utsunomiya 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 56% more in Utsunomiya, 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 Utsunomiya at $1,281. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Utsunomiya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,281 in Utsunomiya. 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, Utsunomiya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.