🙂A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,279 in Siofok, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,052 in Siofok, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,825 in Siofok, rent included.
🙂Chiang Mai is about 26% cheaper than Siofok, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Chiang Mai and Siofok are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai31% lower, Siofok7% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Siofok
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.10฿69.3
$19.10Ft 5,984
-89.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.84฿656
$54.6Ft 17.1K
-63.64%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.79฿191
$7.86Ft 2,461
-26.34%
Cappuccino
$1.83฿60.4
$2.64Ft 828
-30.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78฿25.61
$2.43Ft 760
-67.90%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31฿10.37
$1.80Ft 563
-82.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.34฿77.2
$3.34Ft 1,047
-29.94%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.70฿122
$3.98Ft 1,247
-7.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Siofok
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.03฿67.1
$1.40Ft 439
45.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.60฿52.7
$1.38Ft 431
15.94%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.42฿46.75
$2.27Ft 712
-37.44%
Eggs
$2.18฿71.9
$3.70Ft 1,160
-41.08%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.91฿526
$9.10Ft 2,850
74.84%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.07฿102
$6.11Ft 1,913
-49.75%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.87฿326
$17.65Ft 5,528
-44.08%
Apples(1kg)
$2.63฿86.8
$1.79Ft 560
46.93%
Banana(1kg)
$1.10฿36.19
$2.27Ft 712
-51.54%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.63฿53.8
$2.11Ft 662
-22.75%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.53฿50.6
$3.03Ft 949
-49.50%
Potato(1kg)
$1.24฿41.13
$2.11Ft 662
-41.23%
Onion(1kg)
$1.13฿37.37
$1.30Ft 409
-13.08%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.74฿24.38
$1.23Ft 386
-39.84%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.50฿16.48
$0.58Ft 182
-13.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.28฿141
$7.41Ft 2,322
-42.24%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.97฿594
$5.02Ft 1,573
257.97%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70฿56.1
$1.10Ft 345
54.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90฿95.7
$1.43Ft 449
102.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Siofok
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.94฿31.13
$1.30Ft 408
-27.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$55.3฿1,827
$28.73Ft 9,000
92.45%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.23฿40.76
$3.07Ft 961
-59.93%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.53฿17.66
$1.49Ft 466
-64.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.40฿79.3
$22.05Ft 6,906
-89.12%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.44฿47.55
$1.99Ft 622
-27.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K฿700.2K
$29.1KFt 9.1M
-27.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.3K฿902.1K
$35.1KFt 11.0M
-22.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Siofok
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$64.9฿2,145
$160Ft 50.0K
-59.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.35฿441
$25.75Ft 8,065
-48.16%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.83฿688
$21.92Ft 6,865
-4.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Siofok
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$40.42฿1,336
$49.38Ft 15.5K
-18.14%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.95฿131
$18.69Ft 5,854
-78.87%
Cinema Ticket
$6.71฿222
$8.75Ft 2,740
-23.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Siofok
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$787฿26.0K
$265Ft 82.9K
197.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.1K฿499.6K
$7,960Ft 2.5M
89.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Siofok
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.2฿1,858
$93.5Ft 29.3K
-39.83%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.95฿824
$31.90Ft 9,992
-21.79%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$92.7฿3,063
$81.1Ft 25.4K
14.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.1฿2,482
$109Ft 34.0K
-30.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Siofok
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$484฿16.0K
$399Ft 125.1K
21.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$287฿9,491
$321Ft 100.6K
-10.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$910฿30.1K
$775Ft 242.9K
17.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$531฿17.5K
$673Ft 210.8K
-21.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,980฿65.4K
$3,437Ft 1.1M
-42.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,451฿47.9K
$2,706Ft 847.6K
-46.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Siofok
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$605฿20.0K
$1,194Ft 374.0K
-49.30%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
9
-38.11%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026
Last update for Siofok: September 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $399 in Siofok. 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 97% higher in Siofok, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $55.0 in Siofok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $248 – 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 Siofok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Siofok?
Siofok costs about 35% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Siofok?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,919 in Siofok. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Siofok?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Siofok?
Kindergarten costs $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $265 in Siofok. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Siofok?
Groceries cost about 2% more in Siofok, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chiang Mai or in Siofok?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Siofok at $1,279. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Siofok it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Siofok?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,279 in Siofok. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Siofok?
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.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to Siofok?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Siofok makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared