Japan vs Thailand - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Japan Thailand
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1160
$876
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$2959
$2537
🏠 One person rent
$528
$377
🏘️ Family rent
$1024
$922
🍽️ Food expenses
$394
$286
🚐 Transport expenses
$136
$119
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$2197
$696
💸 GDP per capita
$33834
$7172
😃 Human freedom index
8.4
6.67
❤️ Life expectancy
84
79.7
👮 Corruption perceptions index
73
35
🌐 English speaking %
15%
27.2%
🎓 Higher education
98
78
😀 Quality of life
89
56
🏙️ Population
125M
66.2M

The average cost of living in Japan ($1160) is 32% more expensive than in Thailand ($876). Japan ranked 65th vs 106th for Thailand in the list of the most expensive countries in the world.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 1.9 months in Japan compared to 0.8 months in Thailand. Ranked 16th and 66th best countries to live in the world.

Salary adjustment calculator
the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in Japan vs Thailand infographic

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Prices in Japan vs Thailand

We calculate prices for Japan and Thailand as a population-weighted mean of 907 and 35 cities, respectively. Since large cities tend to have a higher cost of living, it's better to visit specific city pages below for more relevant information.

Japan Thailand
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$6.89
$3.4
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$36.4
$27.9
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.23
$6.35
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$3.26
$2.82
 Cappuccino
$3.06
$2.54
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$1.07
$0.66
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$531
$503
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$359
$256
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1193
$1332
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$747
$694
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$100
$55.4
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$154
$84.8
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$34
$16.1
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
1.83%
5.85%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$5404
$4556
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$3197
$2354
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$1.83
$1.05
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$60.6
$36.1
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$26.3
$11.7
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.18
$1.23
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.49
$1.91
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.56
$1.63
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.15
$1.5
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.23
$2.36
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$12.7
$20.5
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.34
$3.26
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$16.8
$10.8
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.83
$3.09
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.36
$1.53
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.86
$2.16
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$4.55
$2.01
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.72
$1.64
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.57
$1.37
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.58
$0.35
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.48
$1.28
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$8.16
$19
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.97
$1.85
🚬 Cigarette pack
$4.19
$4.33
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$10.4
$2.52
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$3.78
$4.39
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.41
$1.82
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.69
$1.99
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$57
$52.5
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$12.9
$6.87
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$33.3
$35.5
💇 Haircut, simple
$17.1
$7.88
👖 Brand Jeans
$45.4
$54.1
👟 Brand Sneakers
$60.2
$94.8
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$350
$554
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$11669
$13110

Cost of living in other countries

Cost of living

Cities Comparison in Japan vs Thailand

More countries to compare

Cost of Living in Popular cities

In Japan

City Cost of living Population
Tokyo
$1641
14.3M
Yokohama
$1385
3.76M
Osaka
$1212
2.75M
Nagoya
$1248
2.33M
Kawasaki
$1187
1.54M
Sapporo
$1268
1.96M
Kyoto
$1210
1.46M
Kobe
$1119
1.52M
Sendai
$1111
1.06M
Saitama
$1038
1.33M
Fukuoka
$1162
1.6M
Sakai
$1174
824K
Hiroshima
$1003
1.2M
Yokosuka
$1153
390K
Sagamihara
$1060
726K
Chiba
$1244
975K
Kitakyushu
$1044
935K
Kagoshima
$1092
594K
Hachioji
$1252
576K
Kumamoto
$970
738K
Wakayama
$1226
353K
Amagasaki
$1132
456K
Kawaguchi
$1056
594K
Utsunomiya
$1048
518K
Niigata
$1108
791K
Shizuoka
$991
686K
Hamamatsu
$1046
788K
Funabashi
$1145
641K
Himeji
$1212
528K
Kurashiki
$1103
475K

In Thailand

City Cost of living Population
Bangkok
$994
5.68M
Chiang Mai
$742
1.2M
Nonthaburi
$759
256K
Pak Kret
$739
185K
Surat Thani
$635
131K
Nakhon Pathom
$564
78.8K
Nakhon Si Thammarat
$795
106K
Klaeng
$703
130K
Nakhon Ratchasima
$564
134K
Hat Yai
$561
159K
Chaophraya Surasak
$758
133K
Udon Thani
$555
130K
Rangsit
$613
79.3K
Phuket
$985
77.6K
Pu Chao Saming Phrai
$786
76.7K
Ko Samui
$745
69K
Pattaya
$800
120K
Tha Khlong
$664
72.8K
Lat Luang
$787
73.9K
Khon Kaen
$608
116K
Nakhon Sawan
$674
86.4K
Laem Chabang
$769
77.8K
Hua Hin
$676
59.4K
Nong Prue
$773
70.6K
Krabi
$807
30.5K
Phitsanulok
$559
70.9K
Ko Lanta
$799
33.4K
Ubon Ratchathani
$561
79K
Chiang Rai
$513
70.6K
Ao Nang
$822
14K