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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,235 in Debrecen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,904 in Debrecen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,573 in Debrecen, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 31% cheaper than Debrecen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Debrecen are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Debrecen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.1

$10.50 Ft 3,228

-81.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿603

$46.83 Ft 14.4K

-60.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿258

$9.43 Ft 2,899

-16.54%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.63 Ft 501

19.63%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$1.16 Ft 357

-26.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.61

$0.82 Ft 251

-60.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿70.2

$1.13 Ft 346

89.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿121

$2.04 Ft 626

80.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.09 Ft 335

52.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿51.1

$1.54 Ft 472

1.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.95

$2.06 Ft 633

-42.23%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿65.2

$2.73 Ft 839

-27.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿532

$7.26 Ft 2,231

123.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿104

$5.46 Ft 1,679

-41.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿355

$10.16 Ft 3,125

6.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿87.0

$1.27 Ft 389

108.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿40.00

$1.78 Ft 546

-31.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿54.1

$2.13 Ft 654

-22.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.7

$2.58 Ft 793

-39.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.53

$0.79 Ft 242

68.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.75

$1.02 Ft 314

18.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.22

$2.01 Ft 619

-66.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.54

$0.50 Ft 152

14.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿154

$6.53 Ft 2,008

-28.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿557

$4.95 Ft 1,521

243.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.07 Ft 330

70.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿104

$1.14 Ft 351

178.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.70

$1.40 Ft 430

-35.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿614

$24.97 Ft 7,679

-24.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿46.18

$3.07 Ft 945

-54.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.88

$1.15 Ft 353

16.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿267

$11.58 Ft 3,562

-29.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.88

$1.73 Ft 532

-26.01%

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

$21.8K ฿715.2K

$21.5K Ft 6.6M

1.60%

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

$22.4K ฿734.1K

$25.7K Ft 7.9M

-12.69%

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

$70.5 ฿2,310

$143 Ft 43.8K

-50.56%

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

$14.05 ฿460

$27.06 Ft 8,320

-48.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿578

$17.07 Ft 5,250

3.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,353

$44.69 Ft 13.7K

-7.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿222

$7.60 Ft 2,336

-11.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿195

$8.57 Ft 2,635

-30.46%

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

$303 ฿9,928

$262 Ft 80.5K

15.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿490.2K

$10.8K Ft 3.3M

38.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,793

$67.0 Ft 20.6K

-18.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿861

$23.77 Ft 7,308

10.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,811

$77.1 Ft 23.7K

11.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,284

$91.6 Ft 28.2K

-23.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$551 Ft 169.4K

-22.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,834

$458 Ft 140.8K

-47.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.6K

$1,005 Ft 309.0K

-19.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.7K

$833 Ft 256.1K

-38.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿66.4K

$3,183 Ft 978.6K

-36.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿49.2K

$2,657 Ft 817.0K

-43.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.4K

$1,302 Ft 400.5K

-52.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.29

-31.41%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 13, 2026

Last update for Debrecen: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $551 in Debrecen. 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 109% higher in Debrecen, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $47.00 in Debrecen. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $199 in Debrecen – so Debrecen 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 Debrecen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Debrecen costs about 46% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,852 in Debrecen. 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.

Kindergarten costs $303 per month in Chiang Mai and $262 in Debrecen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 22% cheaper in Debrecen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $848, than in Debrecen at $1,235. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Debrecen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $848 versus $1,235 in Debrecen. 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, Debrecen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.