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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,191 in Kalocsa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,826 in Kalocsa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,460 in Kalocsa, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 28% cheaper than Kalocsa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Kalocsa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Kalocsa 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$11.33 Ft 3,568

-81.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$49.40 Ft 15.6K

-62.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$7.95 Ft 2,505

-1.13%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$2.45 Ft 770

-17.14%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.42 Ft 448

-43.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.99 Ft 311

-64.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.65 Ft 834

-19.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.51 Ft 792

46.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.08 Ft 341

60.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.48 Ft 467

6.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.78 Ft 561

-32.58%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.82 Ft 888

-30.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$9.20 Ft 2,899

76.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.84 Ft 1,839

-47.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$11.04 Ft 3,479

-2.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$2.14 Ft 676

29.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$2.04 Ft 644

-42.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$2.01 Ft 632

-14.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$4.28 Ft 1,348

-62.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.35 Ft 424

2.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.34 Ft 423

-13.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.54 Ft 484

-57.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.53 Ft 166

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$7.49 Ft 2,359

-37.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$6.20 Ft 1,952

186.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.09 Ft 343

64.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.20 Ft 377

178.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$1.12 Ft 352

-18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$24.69 Ft 7,778

-24.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$2.84 Ft 895

-50.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.13 Ft 356

18.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$17.46 Ft 5,500

-53.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.74 Ft 547

-29.31%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$31.4K Ft 9.9M

-31.72%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$35.7K Ft 11.3M

-38.89%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$147 Ft 46.2K

-51.39%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$29.44 Ft 9,275

-52.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$24.83 Ft 7,823

-27.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$46.09 Ft 14.5K

-11.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$16.89 Ft 5,321

-59.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$8.10 Ft 2,553

-29.38%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$454 Ft 143.0K

-32.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$6,718 Ft 2.1M

118.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$88.8 Ft 28.0K

-37.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$26.09 Ft 8,222

-0.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$94.0 Ft 29.6K

-9.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$105 Ft 33.1K

-32.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$442 Ft 139.4K

-4.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$339 Ft 107.0K

-28.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$634 Ft 199.8K

25.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$540 Ft 170.3K

-6.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$3,517 Ft 1.1M

-45.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$2,644 Ft 833.1K

-44.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-37.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kalocsa: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $442 in Kalocsa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $49.00 in Kalocsa. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $226 in Kalocsa – so Kalocsa 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 Kalocsa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kalocsa costs about 40% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,787 in Kalocsa. 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $454 in Kalocsa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Kalocsa – 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 $852, than in Kalocsa at $1,191. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kalocsa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,191 in Kalocsa. 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, Kalocsa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.