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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,053 in Szeged, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,625 in Szeged, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,196 in Szeged, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 18% cheaper than Szeged, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Szeged are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Szeged 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿65.1

$7.73 Ft 2,386

-74.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿620

$45.19 Ft 13.9K

-58.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿255

$5.61 Ft 1,733

38.15%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿63.2

$1.97 Ft 607

-2.54%

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

$0.79 ฿26.09

$1.36 Ft 421

-41.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$0.93 Ft 286

-61.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.9

$2.36 Ft 729

-6.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿121

$2.18 Ft 672

67.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿54.5

$1.07 Ft 332

54.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.54 Ft 475

5.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.31

$1.77 Ft 547

-32.77%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.8

$2.91 Ft 899

-31.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿526

$8.07 Ft 2,492

98.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿99.7

$5.95 Ft 1,837

-49.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿358

$11.31 Ft 3,493

-3.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿91.0

$1.85 Ft 571

49.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.87

$1.86 Ft 575

-36.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.1

$2.03 Ft 625

-19.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.1

$2.90 Ft 895

-47.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.63

$1.02 Ft 315

35.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿39.29

$1.19 Ft 368

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.13

$1.39 Ft 430

-49.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.34

$0.47 Ft 145

19.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿151

$7.52 Ft 2,320

-39.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿546

$5.31 Ft 1,638

211.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.2

$0.93 Ft 287

96.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿105

$1.24 Ft 383

158.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.90

$1.61 Ft 498

-45.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿617

$28.00 Ft 8,642

-33.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.68

$2.90 Ft 896

-53.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.16

$1.28 Ft 395

4.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿258

$17.38 Ft 5,365

-54.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿40.39

$1.75 Ft 540

-29.71%

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

$21.6K ฿712.5K

$25.5K Ft 7.9M

-15.36%

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

$22.5K ฿742.9K

$25.6K Ft 7.9M

-11.78%

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

$70.5 ฿2,324

$104 Ft 32.2K

-32.43%

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

$13.68 ฿451

$25.12 Ft 7,754

-45.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿575

$18.72 Ft 5,778

-6.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,362

$40.21 Ft 12.4K

2.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿229

$19.90 Ft 6,143

-65.03%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿190

$7.78 Ft 2,401

-25.84%

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

$307 ฿10.1K

$221 Ft 68.2K

39.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿481.4K

$6,372 Ft 2.0M

129.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,838

$90.3 Ft 27.9K

-38.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿864

$26.11 Ft 8,060

0.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,825

$85.8 Ft 26.5K

-0.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,380

$105 Ft 32.4K

-31.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.2K

$441 Ft 136.0K

-2.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,865

$344 Ft 106.1K

-30.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.9K

$677 Ft 209.0K

20.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.8K

$537 Ft 165.7K

-4.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿65.3K

$3,386 Ft 1.0M

-41.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.9K

$2,456 Ft 758.0K

-39.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.4K

$1,328 Ft 409.8K

-53.39%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Szeged: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $441 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 115% 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 – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $210 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 21% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,580 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $221 in Szeged. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% 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 $869, than in Szeged at $1,053. 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 $869 versus $1,053 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.