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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,334 in Kalocsa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,039 in Kalocsa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,743 in Kalocsa, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 30% cheaper than Kalocsa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Kalocsa are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Kalocsa 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$12.58 Ft 3,974

-83.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$54.7 Ft 17.3K

-64.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$9.21 Ft 2,909

-38.44%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$2.73 Ft 863

-33.70%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$2.05 Ft 647

-62.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$1.22 Ft 385

-71.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$3.20 Ft 1,011

-30.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$2.84 Ft 897

33.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$1.20 Ft 378

70.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.57 Ft 496

-3.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$2.48 Ft 782

-43.55%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$3.45 Ft 1,090

-34.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$11.14 Ft 3,521

45.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$6.43 Ft 2,032

-54.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$13.99 Ft 4,419

-32.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$2.44 Ft 771

9.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$2.20 Ft 696

-50.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$2.14 Ft 675

-24.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$4.22 Ft 1,335

-65.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$1.19 Ft 376

7.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$1.30 Ft 410

-18.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$1.81 Ft 573

-60.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.53 Ft 169

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$7.94 Ft 2,507

-46.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$6.37 Ft 2,013

187.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$1.29 Ft 408

26.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$1.71 Ft 540

69.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

$1.30 Ft 410

-32.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

$27.03 Ft 8,542

98.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$3.12 Ft 985

-62.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$1.53 Ft 484

-62.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$19.22 Ft 6,072

-87.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$1.86 Ft 588

-22.04%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$32.9K Ft 10.4M

-36.13%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$37.6K Ft 11.9M

-29.75%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$156 Ft 49.3K

-59.17%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$33.57 Ft 10.6K

-61.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$27.91 Ft 8,818

-26.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$48.57 Ft 15.3K

-19.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$19.53 Ft 6,169

-79.93%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$7.72 Ft 2,440

-14.77%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$513 Ft 162.1K

52.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$8,175 Ft 2.6M

79.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$91.3 Ft 28.8K

-39.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$28.51 Ft 9,007

-13.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$101 Ft 31.8K

-6.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$109 Ft 34.5K

-32.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$471 Ft 148.9K

4.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$404 Ft 127.6K

-28.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$871 Ft 275.1K

2.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$769 Ft 242.9K

-32.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

$3,157 Ft 997.6K

-37.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

$2,328 Ft 735.7K

-37.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.25

-32.48%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kalocsa: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $471 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $55.0 in Kalocsa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $256 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 43% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,002 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $513 in Kalocsa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Kalocsa, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Kalocsa at $1,334. 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 $932 versus $1,334 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.