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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,013 in Kecskemet, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,522 in Kecskemet, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,031 in Kecskemet, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 15% cheaper than Kecskemet, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Kecskemet are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Kecskemet 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$7.57 Ft 2,398

-74.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$28.59 Ft 9,059

-35.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$4.89 Ft 1,551

52.97%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.38 Ft 438

46.38%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$1.22 Ft 387

-30.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.69 Ft 218

-47.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$2.04 Ft 648

4.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.18 Ft 690

64.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.12 Ft 354

47.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.18 Ft 375

33.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$2.06 Ft 653

-42.23%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.87 Ft 911

-32.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$8.04 Ft 2,548

101.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$6.04 Ft 1,913

-50.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$10.35 Ft 3,280

5.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.20 Ft 381

125.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.32 Ft 418

-11.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.75 Ft 553

-3.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.40 Ft 760

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.97 Ft 308

42.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.10 Ft 349

9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.03 Ft 328

-34.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.48 Ft 151

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$5.85 Ft 1,854

-20.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$3.73 Ft 1,182

372.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$0.94 Ft 298

97.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.47 Ft 464

124.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$1.02 Ft 324

-13.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$17.37 Ft 5,502

11.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$1.15 Ft 364

18.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$1.31 Ft 415

2.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$17.46 Ft 5,533

-52.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.68 Ft 531

-27.38%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$26.5K Ft 8.4M

-19.43%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$28.4K Ft 9.0M

-20.75%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$106 Ft 33.6K

-33.29%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$26.10 Ft 8,270

-46.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$18.36 Ft 5,818

-4.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$47.51 Ft 15.1K

-11.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$17.03 Ft 5,397

-59.60%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$8.43 Ft 2,670

-29.77%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$220 Ft 69.8K

39.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$6,241 Ft 2.0M

138.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$107 Ft 34.0K

-48.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$14.44 Ft 4,576

80.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$42.92 Ft 13.6K

93.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$73.0 Ft 23.1K

-3.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$467 Ft 148.0K

-7.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$378 Ft 119.8K

-36.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$658 Ft 208.5K

24.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$565 Ft 179.0K

-9.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,407 Ft 762.5K

-20.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$2,050 Ft 649.7K

-28.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$1,132 Ft 358.5K

-48.80%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kecskemet: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $467 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 95% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $29.00 in Kecskemet. Groceries tell a different story – $243 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 18% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,520 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $220 in Kecskemet. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 27% 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 $861, than in Kecskemet at $1,013. 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 $861 versus $1,013 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.