Moving to Thailand from Japan
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Japan to Thailand — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Japan to Thailand, you would find that Thailand is 16.7% cheaper than Japan overall. A ¥12,124,875 salary in Japan would need to be roughly THB2,235,935 in Thailand to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Thai. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Bangkok averages 91°F vs 69°F in Tokyo, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Japan to Thailand.
What does your salary buy?
¥12,124,875 → THB2,235,935
To maintain the same standard of living in Thailand
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 26.5% less
Groceries
pay 23.7% less
Transportation
pay 16.5% less
Housing
pay 35.7% less
Childcare
pay 2.7% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 20.1% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Thailand cost about 13% less than cities in Japan.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Japan to Thailand, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Japan and Thailand stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Japan performs better than Thailand across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Japan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Thailand leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Japan generally does better on environment, though Thailand leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Japan generally does better on infrastructure, though Thailand leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Thailand generally does better on employment & economy, though Japan leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Japan performs better than Thailand across all family life metrics.
Data: National Tax Agency Japan, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Tokyo | Bangkok |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) | 91°/74°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) | 93°/78°F (34°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) | 89°/73°F (32°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Tokyo | Bangkok |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) | 90°/70°F (32.0°/21.0°C) |
| Feb | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.3°C) |
| Mar | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) | 93°/77°F (33.7°/24.9°C) |
| Apr | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) | 95°/79°F (34.9°/26.1°C) |
| May | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) | 93°/78°F (34.0°/25.6°C) |
| Jun | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) | 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.4°C) |
| Jul | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) | 91°/77°F (32.7°/25.0°C) |
| Aug | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) | 90°/77°F (32.5°/24.9°C) |
| Sep | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) | 90°/76°F (32.3°/24.6°C) |
| Oct | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) | 90°/76°F (32.0°/24.3°C) |
| Nov | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.1°C) |
| Dec | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) | 88°/69°F (31.3°/20.8°C) |
Data:
Japan Meteorological Agency,
Thai Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Japan and Thailand. To live, work, or study long-term in Thailand, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Thailand's immigration authority.
Japan passport holder visiting Thailand
Visa Free
Thailand passport holder visiting Japan
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Thailand than Japan?
Generally yes: Thailand runs about 10% cheaper than Japan on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Thailand?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a ¥12,124,875 comparable salary, that's around THB558,984 in Thailand for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Thailand?
With 17.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Thailand can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Japan and Thailand.
Is Thailand safe for expats?
Japan performs better than Thailand across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Thailand is 4.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Japan. About 67% of people in Thailand feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Thailand compared to Japan?
Japan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Thailand leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 9.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Thailand, compared to 26.1 in Japan. Thailand scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Japan: 83).
What's the weather like in Thailand compared to Japan?
The average high temperature in Bangkok is 91°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Bangkok receives around 59.0 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 in.
What language do they speak in Thailand?
The official language in Thailand is Thai. In Japan, the official language is Japanese.
