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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,245 in Szekszard, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,901 in Szekszard, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,556 in Szekszard, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 25% cheaper than Szekszard, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Szekszard are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Szekszard 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$12.57 Ft 4,000

-83.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$47.99 Ft 15.3K

-59.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$9.37 Ft 2,980

-39.49%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.59 Ft 506

13.84%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$1.93 Ft 615

-60.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$1.23 Ft 393

-71.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$3.21 Ft 1,022

-31.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.97 Ft 944

27.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.22 Ft 390

68.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.49 Ft 475

1.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$2.40 Ft 764

-41.67%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$3.19 Ft 1,016

-29.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$11.39 Ft 3,625

42.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$6.40 Ft 2,037

-54.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$13.81 Ft 4,394

-31.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$1.79 Ft 570

49.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.99 Ft 633

-45.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$2.07 Ft 658

-21.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$2.87 Ft 914

-49.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$1.08 Ft 344

18.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.30 Ft 415

-18.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$1.80 Ft 574

-60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.49 Ft 155

8.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$8.14 Ft 2,590

-48.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$6.21 Ft 1,977

194.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.20 Ft 381

35.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.60 Ft 509

81.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$1.23 Ft 393

-28.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$26.77 Ft 8,515

100.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$3.12 Ft 992

-62.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$1.54 Ft 491

-62.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$19.27 Ft 6,131

-87.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.87 Ft 595

-22.46%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$33.9K Ft 10.8M

-37.97%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$35.2K Ft 11.2M

-24.89%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$129 Ft 40.9K

-50.49%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$18.70 Ft 5,949

-31.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$23.79 Ft 7,569

-13.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$48.70 Ft 15.5K

-19.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$17.84 Ft 5,675

-78.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$7.63 Ft 2,428

-13.76%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$502 Ft 159.7K

56.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$8,580 Ft 2.7M

71.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$63.6 Ft 20.2K

-13.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$24.92 Ft 7,928

-0.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$94.4 Ft 30.0K

-0.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$80.3 Ft 25.6K

-7.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$540 Ft 171.8K

-9.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$411 Ft 130.6K

-29.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$789 Ft 250.9K

13.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$663 Ft 210.9K

-21.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,690 Ft 537.5K

16.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$1,247 Ft 396.8K

15.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$936 Ft 297.8K

-35.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.25

-32.48%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Szekszard: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $540 in Szekszard. 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 56% higher in Szekszard, 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 $48.00 in Szekszard. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $241 – 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 Szekszard: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Szekszard costs about 34% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,868 in Szekszard. 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $502 in Szekszard. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% more in Szekszard, 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 $932, than in Szekszard at $1,245. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Szekszard it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,245 in Szekszard. 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, Szekszard makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.