Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Szentendre

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $1,455 in Szentendre, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index
70

Cost of Living Index in Szentendre
Learn more

Szentendre Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Szentendre

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,455

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Szentendre

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Szentendre actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,455 in Szentendre, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Szentendre $1,455

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,091 in Szentendre, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Szentendre $2,091

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,726 in Szentendre, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Szentendre $2,726

Chiang Mai is about 35% cheaper than Szentendre, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 30% below the global median, while Szentendre is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$12.75 Ft 4,118

-82.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

$55.7 Ft 18.0K

-65.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

$9.05 Ft 2,923

-38.23%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$2.67 Ft 862

-35.58%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$1.90 Ft 613

-66.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

$1.15 Ft 370

-71.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

$3.32 Ft 1,074

-28.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

$2.87 Ft 927

35.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$1.14 Ft 370

79.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

$1.44 Ft 464

-2.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

$2.33 Ft 754

-45.06%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$3.36 Ft 1,086

-33.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

$11.26 Ft 3,636

50.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$6.07 Ft 1,963

-54.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

$13.74 Ft 4,438

-31.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$1.91 Ft 616

25.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$2.11 Ft 682

-52.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$2.02 Ft 654

-20.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$3.80 Ft 1,229

-60.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

$1.01 Ft 325

26.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

$0.98 Ft 318

13.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

$1.55 Ft 502

-53.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$0.53 Ft 170

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$7.84 Ft 2,532

-44.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

$5.97 Ft 1,928

196.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.27 Ft 410

28.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

$1.63 Ft 527

74.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

$1.19 Ft 385

-28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

$28.79 Ft 9,302

87.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$3.03 Ft 979

-61.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

$1.39 Ft 449

-58.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

$18.38 Ft 5,938

-87.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$1.91 Ft 619

-24.08%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

$28.9K Ft 9.3M

-29.16%

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

$33.7K Ft 10.9M

-21.38%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$153 Ft 49.5K

-59.34%

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

$12.27 ฿410

$30.94 Ft 9,995

-60.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

$23.11 Ft 7,465

-13.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$45.59 Ft 14.7K

-16.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

$19.51 Ft 6,302

-80.73%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

$7.78 Ft 2,513

-13.75%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

$493 Ft 159.3K

61.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

$16.3K Ft 5.3M

-9.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$89.6 Ft 28.9K

-40.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

$27.81 Ft 8,986

-9.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

$99.0 Ft 32.0K

-7.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

$105 Ft 33.9K

-30.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

$613 Ft 198.1K

-24.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

$560 Ft 181.0K

-45.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

$770 Ft 248.7K

18.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$690 Ft 223.0K

-19.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

$3,102 Ft 1.0M

-38.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

$3,848 Ft 1.2M

-62.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$1,545 Ft 499.1K

-61.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.45

-13.64%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Szentendre: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Szentendre

$560 38.5% 83.9% $256

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Szentendre

$242 16.7% 1.8% $4.3

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Szentendre

$145 9.9% 32.1% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Szentendre

$207 14.3% 119% $113

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Szentendre

$196 13.5% 148% $117

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Szentendre

$44 3% 29% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Szentendre

$61 4.2% 19.1% $9.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $613 in Szentendre. 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 160% higher in Szentendre, 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 $56.0 in Szentendre. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $242 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇭🇺 Szentendre

🕒 Local time

18:36 6:36 PM

13:36 1:36 PM

5 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

28,444

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Szentendre 7,730 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Szentendre

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Szentendre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Szentendre costs about 55% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,182 in Szentendre. 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 $797 per month in Chiang Mai and $493 in Szentendre. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Szentendre, 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 $938, than in Szentendre at $1,455. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Szentendre it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $938 versus $1,455 in Szentendre. 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, Szentendre makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.