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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,003 in Szekesfehervar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,641 in Szekesfehervar, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,278 in Szekesfehervar, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 14% cheaper than Szekesfehervar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Szekesfehervar are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Szekesfehervar 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$11.36 Ft 3,600

-82.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$56.7 Ft 18.0K

-67.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$8.92 Ft 2,825

-16.14%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.92 Ft 607

5.21%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$1.28 Ft 407

-33.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.96 Ft 303

-62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.89 Ft 599

13.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.49 Ft 788

44.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.06 Ft 337

55.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.69 Ft 537

-7.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$2.14 Ft 678

-44.39%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.78 Ft 880

-30.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$7.63 Ft 2,416

112.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.90 Ft 1,869

-49.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$14.75 Ft 4,674

-25.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.91 Ft 606

41.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.85 Ft 586

-36.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.97 Ft 623

-14.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.81 Ft 891

-43.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.02 Ft 324

35.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.19 Ft 376

0.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.43 Ft 452

-53.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.44 Ft 140

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$6.03 Ft 1,910

-23.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$3.16 Ft 1,000

457.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$0.94 Ft 299

97.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.46 Ft 461

126.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$1.14 Ft 360

-22.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$24.90 Ft 7,889

-22.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$2.75 Ft 872

-50.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$1.20 Ft 379

11.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$17.06 Ft 5,404

-51.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.73 Ft 550

-29.48%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$25.9K Ft 8.2M

-17.66%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$25.6K Ft 8.1M

-12.02%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$104 Ft 32.9K

-31.92%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$24.65 Ft 7,809

-43.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$18.37 Ft 5,820

-4.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$46.37 Ft 14.7K

-9.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$17.02 Ft 5,394

-59.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$6.76 Ft 2,142

-12.43%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$222 Ft 70.4K

38.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$6,408 Ft 2.0M

132.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$64.0 Ft 20.3K

-12.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$22.77 Ft 7,214

14.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$71.2 Ft 22.6K

16.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$78.3 Ft 24.8K

-9.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$378 Ft 119.7K

14.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$292 Ft 92.5K

-18.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$595 Ft 188.5K

38.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$523 Ft 165.8K

-2.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$3,517 Ft 1.1M

-45.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$3,161 Ft 1.0M

-53.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$1,517 Ft 480.7K

-61.81%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Szekesfehervar: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $378 in Szekesfehervar. 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 162% higher in Szekesfehervar, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $57.0 in Szekesfehervar. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $217 in Szekesfehervar – so Szekesfehervar 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 Szekesfehervar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Szekesfehervar costs about 17% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,505 in Szekesfehervar. 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $222 in Szekesfehervar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Szekesfehervar – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $1,003 in Szekesfehervar, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,003 in Szekesfehervar. 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, Szekesfehervar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.