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 $1,209 in Kalocsa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,813 in Kalocsa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,417 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 36% lower, Kalocsa 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$11.59 Ft 3,615

-83.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$48.95 Ft 15.3K

-61.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$7.85 Ft 2,448

0.89%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.59 Ft 807

-26.25%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.41 Ft 439

-40.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.93 Ft 291

-62.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.58 Ft 804

-14.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.55 Ft 795

49.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.07 Ft 335

53.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$1.48 Ft 463

9.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.77 Ft 551

-33.33%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.83 Ft 883

-28.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$9.45 Ft 2,950

68.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$5.69 Ft 1,777

-47.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$11.27 Ft 3,515

-4.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$2.23 Ft 696

17.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.93 Ft 603

-36.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.10 Ft 655

-19.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$4.20 Ft 1,310

-62.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.38 Ft 432

-4.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.32 Ft 413

-11.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$1.53 Ft 478

-56.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.53 Ft 166

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$7.31 Ft 2,280

-38.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$6.63 Ft 2,068

174.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.09 Ft 341

67.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.25 Ft 389

158.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$1.14 Ft 355

-21.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$24.69 Ft 7,704

-21.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$2.80 Ft 875

-51.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$1.11 Ft 346

21.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$17.54 Ft 5,473

-52.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.71 Ft 533

-25.73%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$32.2K Ft 10.0M

-34.23%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$36.5K Ft 11.4M

-38.41%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$148 Ft 46.1K

-52.56%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$30.39 Ft 9,483

-54.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$24.86 Ft 7,757

-29.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$46.28 Ft 14.4K

-10.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$17.01 Ft 5,308

-61.20%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$7.95 Ft 2,481

-27.30%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$467 Ft 145.8K

-34.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$6,877 Ft 2.1M

115.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$89.8 Ft 28.0K

-39.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$26.17 Ft 8,167

-0.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$96.0 Ft 29.9K

-11.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$106 Ft 33.2K

-34.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$438 Ft 136.6K

-3.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$343 Ft 107.0K

-30.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$632 Ft 197.1K

30.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$532 Ft 166.1K

-3.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$2,960 Ft 923.7K

-30.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$2,689 Ft 839.0K

-43.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kalocsa: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $438 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 – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $227 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 42% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,813 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $467 in Kalocsa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% 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 $1,209. 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 $1,209 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.