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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,057 per month in Békéscsaba vs $847 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,590 per month in Békéscsaba vs $1,332 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,122 per month in Békéscsaba vs $1,816 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Békéscsaba costs about 25% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Békéscsaba and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Békéscsaba 21% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 Ft 1,887

$2.03 ฿68.5

191.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.91 Ft 12.7K

$18.71 ฿631

113.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.83 Ft 2,813

$7.84 ฿265

12.63%

Cappuccino

$1.97 Ft 628

$1.93 ฿65.0

2.07%

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

$0.88 Ft 281

$0.83 ฿28.05

6.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 Ft 263

$0.35 ฿11.82

137.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 Ft 606

$2.22 ฿74.9

-14.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 Ft 362

$3.79 ฿128

-69.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 Ft 323

$1.65 ฿55.5

-38.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 Ft 456

$1.55 ฿52.4

-7.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 Ft 567

$1.18 ฿39.86

50.85%

Eggs

$2.73 Ft 870

$2.01 ฿68.0

35.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.83 Ft 2,812

$16.16 ฿545

-45.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 Ft 1,970

$3.03 ฿102

103.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.68 Ft 4,039

$10.84 ฿366

16.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 Ft 455

$2.68 ฿90.4

-46.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 Ft 626

$1.22 ฿41.21

61.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 Ft 462

$1.63 ฿54.9

-11.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 Ft 538

$1.53 ฿51.6

10.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 Ft 315

$1.34 ฿45.18

-26.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 Ft 375

$1.21 ฿40.93

-2.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 Ft 177

$0.70 ฿23.67

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 Ft 192

$0.53 ฿17.73

13.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.11 Ft 2,264

$4.69 ฿158

51.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.18 Ft 1,014

$17.71 ฿598

-82.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 Ft 222

$1.85 ฿62.3

-62.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 Ft 267

$3.21 ฿108

-73.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 Ft 373

$0.89 ฿30.07

31.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.70 Ft 7,867

$18.76 ฿633

31.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 Ft 830

$1.41 ฿47.48

84.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 Ft 368

$1.29 ฿43.59

-10.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 Ft 1,851

$7.79 ฿263

-25.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 Ft 538

$1.29 ฿43.67

31.01%

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

$24.7K Ft 7.9M

$21.8K ฿734.7K

13.35%

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

$34.2K Ft 10.9M

$21.7K ฿732.1K

57.56%

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

$176 Ft 56.0K

$70.0 ฿2,362

151.04%

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

$26.78 Ft 8,530

$14.19 ฿479

88.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.34 Ft 6,159

$17.42 ฿588

11.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.69 Ft 15.2K

$41.64 ฿1,405

14.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.10 Ft 5,447

$6.89 ฿233

148.19%

Cinema Ticket

$7.24 Ft 2,308

$5.78 ฿195

25.26%

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

$326 Ft 104.0K

$300 ฿10.1K

8.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,392 Ft 1.1M

$14.5K ฿490.1K

-76.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 Ft 17.8K

$55.4 ฿1,869

0.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.56 Ft 8,778

$26.31 ฿888

4.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.0 Ft 20.1K

$84.8 ฿2,863

-25.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.4 Ft 21.1K

$70.5 ฿2,379

-5.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 Ft 142.7K

$425 ฿14.4K

5.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 Ft 109.0K

$235 ฿7,933

45.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 Ft 205.6K

$802 ฿27.1K

-19.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$529 Ft 168.6K

$516 ฿17.4K

2.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,601 Ft 510.1K

$1,926 ฿65.0K

-16.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,218 Ft 388.1K

$1,451 ฿49.0K

-16.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,396 Ft 444.8K

$586 ฿19.8K

138.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

50.00%

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

Last update for Békéscsaba: July 19, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $448 in Békéscsaba versus $425 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.

Salaries run about 138% higher in Békéscsaba, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Békéscsaba versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Békéscsaba vs $242 in Chiang Mai – so Békéscsaba wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Békéscsaba costs about 25% 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 $1,585 per month in Békéscsaba and $1,271 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 23% cheaper in Békéscsaba – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Békéscsaba and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,057 in Békéscsaba and $847 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $847 versus $1,057 in Békéscsaba. 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, Békéscsaba makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.