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 $847 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,057 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

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

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

Chiang Mai is about 20% cheaper than Békéscsaba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.03 ฿68.5

$5.92 Ft 1,887

-65.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿631

$39.91 Ft 12.7K

-53.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 ฿265

$8.83 Ft 2,813

-11.21%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿65.0

$1.97 Ft 628

-2.03%

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

$0.83 ฿28.05

$0.88 Ft 281

-5.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.82

$0.83 Ft 263

-57.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ฿74.9

$1.90 Ft 606

16.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿128

$1.14 Ft 362

232.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.01 Ft 323

63.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ฿52.4

$1.43 Ft 456

8.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿39.86

$1.78 Ft 567

-33.71%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿68.0

$2.73 Ft 870

-26.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.16 ฿545

$8.83 Ft 2,812

83.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿102

$6.18 Ft 1,970

-50.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿366

$12.68 Ft 4,039

-14.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿90.4

$1.43 Ft 455

87.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿41.21

$1.97 Ft 626

-38.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.9

$1.45 Ft 462

12.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.69 Ft 538

-9.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿45.18

$0.99 Ft 315

35.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿40.93

$1.18 Ft 375

2.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.67

$0.56 Ft 177

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.73

$0.60 Ft 192

-11.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿158

$7.11 Ft 2,264

-34.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.71 ฿598

$3.18 Ft 1,014

456.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 ฿62.3

$0.70 Ft 222

164.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿108

$0.84 Ft 267

282.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿30.07

$1.17 Ft 373

-23.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.76 ฿633

$24.70 Ft 7,867

-24.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.48

$2.60 Ft 830

-45.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.59

$1.15 Ft 368

12.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 ฿263

$5.81 Ft 1,851

34.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿43.67

$1.69 Ft 538

-23.67%

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

$21.8K ฿734.7K

$24.7K Ft 7.9M

-11.78%

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

$21.7K ฿732.1K

$34.2K Ft 10.9M

-36.53%

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

$70.0 ฿2,362

$176 Ft 56.0K

-60.17%

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

$14.19 ฿479

$26.78 Ft 8,530

-47.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ฿588

$19.34 Ft 6,159

-9.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 ฿1,405

$47.69 Ft 15.2K

-12.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ฿233

$17.10 Ft 5,447

-59.71%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿195

$7.24 Ft 2,308

-20.17%

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

$300 ฿10.1K

$326 Ft 104.0K

-8.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K ฿490.1K

$3,392 Ft 1.1M

328.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 ฿1,869

$55.9 Ft 17.8K

-0.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.31 ฿888

$27.56 Ft 8,778

-4.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,863

$63.0 Ft 20.1K

34.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,379

$66.4 Ft 21.1K

6.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ฿14.4K

$448 Ft 142.7K

-5.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ฿7,933

$342 Ft 109.0K

-31.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 ฿27.1K

$645 Ft 205.6K

24.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 ฿17.4K

$529 Ft 168.6K

-2.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 ฿65.0K

$1,601 Ft 510.1K

20.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿49.0K

$1,218 Ft 388.1K

19.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$586 ฿19.8K

$1,396 Ft 444.8K

-58.01%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Békéscsaba: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Chiang Mai versus $448 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 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $40.00 in Békéscsaba. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $197 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 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 $1,271 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,585 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 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $40.00 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 $847 in Chiang Mai and $1,057 in Békéscsaba, 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.