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 $845 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,055 in Szeged, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,323 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,657 in Szeged, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,258 in Szeged, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 20% cheaper than Szeged, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Szeged are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 37% lower, Szeged 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 ฿62.8

$7.82 Ft 2,432

-75.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.43 ฿594

$45.23 Ft 14.1K

-59.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 ฿241

$5.65 Ft 1,759

32.74%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ฿62.3

$1.96 Ft 609

-1.53%

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

$0.78 ฿25.08

$1.36 Ft 423

-42.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.42

$0.98 Ft 305

-67.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ฿69.2

$2.33 Ft 724

-7.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿120

$2.16 Ft 672

71.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.2

$1.11 Ft 344

54.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.3

$1.53 Ft 477

1.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.06

$1.85 Ft 575

-36.22%

Eggs

$1.98 ฿63.9

$2.95 Ft 919

-32.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.04 ฿517

$7.82 Ft 2,435

105.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿102

$5.62 Ft 1,749

-43.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿353

$10.94 Ft 3,403

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿84.7

$1.92 Ft 598

36.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.61

$1.85 Ft 575

-36.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.0

$2.04 Ft 634

-19.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ฿49.51

$2.81 Ft 875

-45.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿44.34

$1.05 Ft 328

31.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿37.54

$1.19 Ft 371

-1.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.25

$1.45 Ft 450

-54.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.55

$0.48 Ft 149

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 ฿146

$7.14 Ft 2,221

-36.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿590

$5.18 Ft 1,612

253.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿57.9

$1.00 Ft 312

80.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿102

$1.20 Ft 372

165.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿28.97

$1.56 Ft 486

-42.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 ฿612

$27.50 Ft 8,555

-30.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.50

$2.78 Ft 864

-49.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$1.27 Ft 396

3.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.09 ฿261

$17.38 Ft 5,408

-53.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.08

$1.75 Ft 544

-26.86%

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

$21.3K ฿686.1K

$25.8K Ft 8.0M

-17.58%

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

$21.7K ฿699.3K

$25.6K Ft 8.0M

-15.07%

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

$69.2 ฿2,230

$106 Ft 33.0K

-34.67%

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

$13.97 ฿450

$24.82 Ft 7,723

-43.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 ฿578

$19.19 Ft 5,970

-6.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.31 ฿1,363

$40.56 Ft 12.6K

4.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.66 ฿214

$20.08 Ft 6,249

-66.83%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿191

$7.84 Ft 2,440

-24.49%

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

$299 ฿9,640

$223 Ft 69.5K

33.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿478.4K

$6,248 Ft 1.9M

137.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,810

$88.1 Ft 27.4K

-36.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.94 ฿868

$25.98 Ft 8,084

3.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 ฿2,735

$85.8 Ft 26.7K

-1.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 ฿2,314

$106 Ft 33.1K

-32.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿14.0K

$432 Ft 134.5K

0.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 ฿7,727

$339 Ft 105.4K

-29.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 ฿25.7K

$655 Ft 203.9K

21.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.1K

$536 Ft 166.9K

-7.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 ฿64.3K

$3,360 Ft 1.0M

-40.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,532 ฿49.4K

$2,468 Ft 767.9K

-37.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 ฿20.2K

$1,295 Ft 402.8K

-51.48%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Szeged: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Chiang Mai versus $432 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 106% 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 $18 in Chiang Mai versus $45 in Szeged. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $208 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 25% 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 $1,267 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,583 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $223 in Szeged. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 17% 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 $845, than in Szeged at $1,055. 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 $845 versus $1,055 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.