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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,072 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,587 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,101 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 19% cheaper than Békéscsaba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Békéscsaba are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Békéscsaba 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.8

$5.78 Ft 1,782

-66.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿611

$40.94 Ft 12.6K

-54.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$8.51 Ft 2,624

-8.11%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿64.1

$1.98 Ft 611

-1.52%

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

$0.85 ฿27.90

$0.83 Ft 257

2.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.64

$0.84 Ft 260

-58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.85 Ft 571

15.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$1.17 Ft 360

218.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.2

$1.01 Ft 313

69.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.4

$1.40 Ft 431

16.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.32

$1.70 Ft 524

-32.94%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.4

$2.70 Ft 832

-28.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿532

$8.76 Ft 2,700

85.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.17 Ft 1,902

-49.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿357

$12.36 Ft 3,812

-11.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.4

$1.43 Ft 440

92.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.70

$1.97 Ft 608

-38.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.2

$1.40 Ft 432

15.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.1

$1.77 Ft 545

-10.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.91

$1.02 Ft 315

37.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.34

$1.18 Ft 363

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.70

$0.60 Ft 186

10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.30

$0.56 Ft 172

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿154

$6.93 Ft 2,137

-32.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿612

$3.18 Ft 979

486.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.0

$0.70 Ft 217

157.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$0.85 Ft 262

280.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.39

$1.12 Ft 345

-19.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿630

$24.89 Ft 7,673

-22.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.13

$2.65 Ft 817

-46.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.31

$1.13 Ft 347

14.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿257

$5.72 Ft 1,763

37.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.77

$1.69 Ft 520

-24.85%

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

$21.3K ฿698.1K

$24.8K Ft 7.6M

-14.16%

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

$22.2K ฿728.8K

$33.9K Ft 10.5M

-34.54%

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

$69.1 ฿2,266

$173 Ft 53.3K

-60.05%

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

$14.08 ฿462

$26.88 Ft 8,288

-47.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿591

$19.98 Ft 6,161

-9.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,347

$46.42 Ft 14.3K

-11.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿228

$17.01 Ft 5,245

-59.08%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿194

$7.34 Ft 2,262

-19.35%

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

$299 ฿9,811

$336 Ft 103.6K

-11.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.6K

$3,470 Ft 1.1M

330.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,795

$54.9 Ft 16.9K

-0.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿878

$27.50 Ft 8,478

-2.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,788

$63.6 Ft 19.6K

33.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,316

$67.3 Ft 20.8K

4.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$455 Ft 140.2K

-5.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,787

$348 Ft 107.2K

-31.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.3K

$627 Ft 193.3K

27.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$541 Ft 166.7K

-4.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.8K

$1,625 Ft 501.0K

21.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.4K

$1,243 Ft 383.2K

18.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.3K

$1,453 Ft 448.0K

-57.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

-33.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Békéscsaba: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $455 in Békéscsaba. 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 135% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $41.00 in Békéscsaba. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $195 in Békéscsaba – 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

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

Békéscsaba costs about 24% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,608 in Békéscsaba. 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 26% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $41.00 in Békéscsaba. 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $1,072 in Békéscsaba, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,072 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.