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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,294 in Szeged, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,023 in Szeged, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,753 in Szeged, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 27% cheaper than Szeged, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Szeged are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Szeged 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$10.20 Ft 3,196

-79.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$61.7 Ft 19.3K

-67.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$9.32 Ft 2,919

-37.88%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$2.44 Ft 765

-25.00%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.58 Ft 496

-50.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$1.32 Ft 413

-76.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$2.25 Ft 705

4.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.35 Ft 735

57.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.22 Ft 382

66.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$1.49 Ft 466

7.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$2.74 Ft 857

-48.18%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$3.81 Ft 1,193

-42.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$10.45 Ft 3,272

52.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$6.93 Ft 2,171

-55.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$16.39 Ft 5,135

-39.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$2.41 Ft 756

9.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$2.37 Ft 742

-53.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$2.14 Ft 671

-23.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$3.54 Ft 1,108

-56.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$1.09 Ft 343

13.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$1.19 Ft 372

-5.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$1.63 Ft 510

-54.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.57 Ft 177

-12.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$8.16 Ft 2,556

-47.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$5.04 Ft 1,578

256.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.31 Ft 412

29.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$2.07 Ft 649

40.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$1.81 Ft 566

-48.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$31.30 Ft 9,806

76.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$3.08 Ft 964

-60.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$1.72 Ft 538

-69.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$18.92 Ft 5,925

-87.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.94 Ft 609

-25.77%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$28.3K Ft 8.9M

-25.02%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$39.4K Ft 12.3M

-30.62%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$136 Ft 42.7K

-52.38%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$23.24 Ft 7,280

-42.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$20.60 Ft 6,453

1.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$49.12 Ft 15.4K

-17.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$31.29 Ft 9,803

-87.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$8.55 Ft 2,679

-21.52%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$259 Ft 81.3K

203.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$7,070 Ft 2.2M

113.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$108 Ft 33.8K

-47.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$35.02 Ft 11.0K

-28.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$94.1 Ft 29.5K

-1.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$131 Ft 41.0K

-42.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$534 Ft 167.1K

-9.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$387 Ft 121.3K

-25.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$791 Ft 247.9K

14.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$635 Ft 198.9K

-16.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$3,277 Ft 1.0M

-39.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$2,403 Ft 752.7K

-39.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$1,348 Ft 422.3K

-55.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.67

-16.49%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Szeged: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $534 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 123% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $62.0 in Szeged. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $261 – 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 Szeged: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Szeged costs about 36% 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,940 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 $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $259 in Szeged. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Szeged, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Szeged at $1,294. 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 $950 versus $1,294 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.