Kyoto vs Chiang Mai Cost of Living
Kyoto (Japan) · Overall index 45.5 — Chiang Mai (Thailand) · Overall index 26.0
Summary
- Overall, Chiang Mai is 43% cheaper than Kyoto.
- Rent in Chiang Mai is 47% cheaper than in Kyoto.
- Transport in Chiang Mai is 46% cheaper than in Kyoto.
| Item | Kyoto | Chiang Mai | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | -47% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $792 | $477 | -40% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $629 | $325 | -48% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,740 | $805 | -54% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $996 | $542 | -46% |
| Groceries | -42% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.9 | $0.53 | -41% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.47 | $1.44 | -42% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.08 | $1.68 | -45% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.16 | $1.78 | -44% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $8.85 | $4.79 | -46% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $7.61 | $4.84 | -36% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $12.6 | $6.72 | -47% |
| Apples (1kg) | $3.24 | $2.14 | -34% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.41 | $0.79 | -44% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.92 | $1.82 | -38% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $3.18 | $2.21 | -31% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.74 | $1.07 | -39% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.74 | $0.94 | -46% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.64 | $0.93 | -43% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.67 | $0.87 | -48% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $10.7 | $5.67 | -47% |
| Transport | -46% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.45 | $0.71 | -51% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $67.2 | $38.2 | -43% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.35 | $1.11 | -53% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.95 | $0.56 | -41% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.54 | $0.29 | -46% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $14,524 | $8,510 | -41% |
| Dining out | -41% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $12.3 | $6.98 | -43% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $68.9 | $40 | -42% |
| Fast food combo meal | $6.43 | $3.87 | -40% |
| Cappuccino | $2.74 | $1.62 | -41% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.43 | $0.9 | -37% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $4.48 | $2.41 | -46% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $4.19 | $2.63 | -37% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.17 | $0.64 | -45% |
| Telecom | -42% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $43.6 | $24.9 | -43% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $49.4 | $26.6 | -46% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.23 | $0.15 | -35% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $10.3 | $6.1 | -41% |
| Utilities & household | -40% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $99.2 | $67.6 | -32% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.13 | $0.08 | -38% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.13 | $1.58 | -50% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.88 | $0.56 | -36% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $14.2 | $8.03 | -43% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $47.7 | $32.5 | -32% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $9.91 | $6.4 | -35% |
| Men's haircut | $18.2 | $10.6 | -42% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $17.6 | $9.66 | -45% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,441 | $810 | -44% |
3,306 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
Keep your standard of living
Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
Compare other cities
vs