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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,078 in Szeged, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,643 in Szeged, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,208 in Szeged, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 21% cheaper than Szeged, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Szeged are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Szeged 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.4

$7.76 Ft 2,456

-73.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿626

$45.37 Ft 14.4K

-58.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿263

$5.71 Ft 1,806

37.65%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.9

$1.96 Ft 620

3.57%

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

$0.80 ฿26.71

$1.37 Ft 433

-41.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.71

$0.99 Ft 314

-64.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.7

$2.37 Ft 748

-9.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$2.16 Ft 683

69.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.8

$1.11 Ft 350

55.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$1.46 Ft 460

7.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.10

$1.84 Ft 583

-34.78%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿66.0

$2.82 Ft 893

-30.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿543

$7.83 Ft 2,477

107.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.89 Ft 1,863

-48.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿361

$11.22 Ft 3,550

-3.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.6

$1.86 Ft 587

48.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.05

$1.77 Ft 559

-33.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.1

$2.04 Ft 646

-16.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$2.94 Ft 930

-45.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.63

$1.05 Ft 333

32.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.67

$1.20 Ft 380

-3.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.11

$1.44 Ft 456

-54.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.35

$0.44 Ft 140

18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$7.24 Ft 2,292

-35.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿595

$4.95 Ft 1,565

259.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.8

$1.00 Ft 316

79.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿112

$1.19 Ft 375

180.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.35

$1.56 Ft 493

-41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿624

$28.00 Ft 8,860

-33.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.17

$2.85 Ft 900

-50.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.82

$1.33 Ft 419

0.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿271

$17.08 Ft 5,405

-52.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.27

$1.76 Ft 557

-30.11%

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

$21.4K ฿717.0K

$26.4K Ft 8.3M

-18.69%

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

$21.8K ฿730.0K

$25.5K Ft 8.1M

-14.33%

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

$71.3 ฿2,386

$106 Ft 33.6K

-32.74%

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

$14.01 ฿469

$24.84 Ft 7,860

-43.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿600

$18.55 Ft 5,870

-3.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,365

$39.81 Ft 12.6K

2.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$20.18 Ft 6,385

-65.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$7.95 Ft 2,517

-28.05%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$217 Ft 68.8K

41.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.0K

$6,385 Ft 2.0M

129.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,865

$89.0 Ft 28.2K

-37.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿871

$25.65 Ft 8,116

1.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,837

$87.6 Ft 27.7K

-3.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,375

$107 Ft 33.7K

-33.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.2K

$436 Ft 137.8K

-2.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,110

$341 Ft 107.8K

-28.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.7K

$662 Ft 209.4K

20.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$550 Ft 173.9K

-7.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.2K

$3,269 Ft 1.0M

-41.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿49.0K

$2,387 Ft 755.4K

-38.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$1,336 Ft 422.7K

-55.46%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Szeged: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $436 in Szeged. 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 125% higher in Szeged, 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 $45.00 in Szeged. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $207 in Szeged – so Szeged 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 Szeged: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Szeged costs about 26% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,617 in Szeged. 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $217 in Szeged. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Szeged – 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 Szeged at $1,078. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Szeged it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,078 in Szeged. 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, Szeged makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.