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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,068 in Szekszard, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,619 in Szekszard, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,170 in Szekszard, rent included.

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

Both Chiang Mai and Szekszard are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Szekszard 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$11.33 Ft 3,569

-81.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$43.26 Ft 13.6K

-56.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$8.24 Ft 2,595

-4.61%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.46 Ft 460

39.04%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.37 Ft 431

-41.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.98 Ft 308

-64.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.56 Ft 808

-16.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.54 Ft 801

44.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.12 Ft 352

54.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.18 Ft 372

33.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.85 Ft 584

-35.14%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.38 Ft 749

-17.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$9.09 Ft 2,864

78.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.77 Ft 1,818

-46.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$11.34 Ft 3,574

-4.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.47 Ft 465

88.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.71 Ft 537

-31.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.68 Ft 531

1.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.24 Ft 706

-29.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.13 Ft 355

23.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.33 Ft 419

-12.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.49 Ft 470

-55.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.45 Ft 140

15.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$7.40 Ft 2,332

-37.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$6.41 Ft 2,019

177.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$0.98 Ft 309

82.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.18 Ft 371

183.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$1.02 Ft 323

-10.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$25.15 Ft 7,924

-25.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$2.95 Ft 929

-52.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.79 Ft 250

69.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$16.99 Ft 5,353

-52.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.67 Ft 526

-26.35%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$32.2K Ft 10.1M

-33.44%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$34.4K Ft 10.8M

-36.53%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$114 Ft 36.0K

-37.60%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$14.11 Ft 4,447

-0.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$19.75 Ft 6,223

-9.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$46.36 Ft 14.6K

-11.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$17.01 Ft 5,361

-59.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$6.84 Ft 2,154

-16.37%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$469 Ft 147.9K

-34.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$6,708 Ft 2.1M

118.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$57.1 Ft 18.0K

-2.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$23.25 Ft 7,324

12.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$86.6 Ft 27.3K

-2.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$70.7 Ft 22.3K

0.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$437 Ft 137.7K

-3.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$352 Ft 110.8K

-31.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$636 Ft 200.3K

25.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$527 Ft 166.0K

-3.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,682 Ft 529.8K

14.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,281 Ft 403.5K

14.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$944 Ft 297.5K

-36.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-37.50%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Szekszard: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $437 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 59% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $43.00 in Szekszard. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $203 in Szekszard – so Szekszard 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 Szekszard: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Szekszard 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,601 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $469 in Szekszard. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 20% cheaper in Szekszard – 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 $852, than in Szekszard at $1,068. 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 $852 versus $1,068 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.