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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,032 in Kecskemet, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,505 in Kecskemet, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,978 in Kecskemet, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 16% cheaper than Kecskemet, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Kecskemet are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Kecskemet 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$7.58 Ft 2,308

-74.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$28.63 Ft 8,716

-34.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$4.97 Ft 1,514

57.34%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.38 Ft 421

41.30%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.17 Ft 355

-27.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.69 Ft 210

-49.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.03 Ft 618

4.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.20 Ft 669

69.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.07 Ft 327

59.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.16 Ft 354

40.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.16 Ft 656

-47.22%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.95 Ft 897

-34.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$7.79 Ft 2,371

108.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.95 Ft 1,811

-47.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$10.54 Ft 3,208

3.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.26 Ft 385

118.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.30 Ft 396

-6.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.74 Ft 530

-6.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.41 Ft 734

-34.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.97 Ft 296

44.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.10 Ft 334

6.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.02 Ft 311

-35.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.48 Ft 147

10.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$5.83 Ft 1,774

-19.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$3.89 Ft 1,186

379.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.95 Ft 288

89.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.45 Ft 443

122.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.99 Ft 300

-9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$17.24 Ft 5,250

11.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.16 Ft 353

21.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.34 Ft 407

-3.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$17.29 Ft 5,263

-54.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.77 Ft 537

-28.25%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$26.9K Ft 8.2M

-21.01%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$28.4K Ft 8.7M

-21.86%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$103 Ft 31.4K

-33.09%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$26.64 Ft 8,110

-47.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$18.42 Ft 5,608

-2.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$47.51 Ft 14.5K

-13.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$16.59 Ft 5,050

-58.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$8.42 Ft 2,565

-29.69%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$221 Ft 67.3K

35.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$6,385 Ft 1.9M

134.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$107 Ft 32.7K

-49.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$14.67 Ft 4,465

82.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$43.26 Ft 13.2K

96.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$72.3 Ft 22.0K

-2.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$477 Ft 145.1K

-10.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$371 Ft 112.8K

-35.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$669 Ft 203.8K

19.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$560 Ft 170.4K

-7.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,519 Ft 766.9K

-21.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$2,116 Ft 644.3K

-30.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$1,181 Ft 359.5K

-47.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

-14.53%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kecskemet: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $477 in Kecskemet. 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 91% higher in Kecskemet, 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 $29.00 in Kecskemet. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $191 in Kecskemet – so Kecskemet 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 Kecskemet: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kecskemet costs about 19% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,548 in Kecskemet. 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $221 in Kecskemet. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 29% cheaper in Kecskemet – 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 $866, than in Kecskemet at $1,032. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kecskemet it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,032 in Kecskemet. 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, Kecskemet makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.