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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $942 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,154 in Szolnok, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,427 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,762 in Szolnok, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,912 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,369 in Szolnok, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 18% cheaper than Szolnok, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Szolnok are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Szolnok 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.6

$10.01 Ft 3,209

-79.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.91 ฿665

$47.13 Ft 15.1K

-57.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.58 ฿186

$8.29 Ft 2,658

-32.69%

Cappuccino

$1.74 ฿58.1

$2.48 Ft 794

-29.84%

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

$0.72 ฿24.05

$2.04 Ft 654

-64.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.69

$1.29 Ft 414

-75.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 ฿75.2

$2.67 Ft 856

-15.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿127

$2.77 Ft 890

37.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.5

$0.94 Ft 303

114.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.5

$1.22 Ft 390

28.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.66

$1.69 Ft 543

-17.16%

Eggs

$2.15 ฿72.0

$3.23 Ft 1,035

-33.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.63 ฿523

$7.96 Ft 2,552

96.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ฿98.5

$6.65 Ft 2,132

-55.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.49 ฿317

$13.86 Ft 4,444

-31.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 ฿87.1

$1.47 Ft 472

76.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 ฿36.15

$1.81 Ft 581

-40.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.53 Ft 490

3.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿48.56

$2.53 Ft 811

-42.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.67

$0.69 Ft 220

85.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.14

$0.76 Ft 244

46.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 ฿24.27

$1.06 Ft 340

-31.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.70

$0.38 Ft 123

31.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿143

$7.07 Ft 2,266

-39.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.67 ฿591

$3.74 Ft 1,201

372.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$0.90 Ft 290

86.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿93.6

$1.30 Ft 418

115.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿28.92

$1.05 Ft 338

-17.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.2 ฿1,812

$26.71 Ft 8,566

102.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.54

$2.99 Ft 960

-59.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿18.01

$2.34 Ft 749

-76.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.8

$15.49 Ft 4,966

-84.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ฿48.93

$1.87 Ft 599

-21.93%

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

$21.0K ฿702.5K

$28.7K Ft 9.2M

-26.79%

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

$26.7K ฿892.4K

$38.5K Ft 12.3M

-30.63%

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

$62.1 ฿2,075

$135 Ft 43.1K

-53.85%

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

$12.93 ฿432

$30.18 Ft 9,677

-57.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.61 ฿689

$23.34 Ft 7,485

-11.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.21 ฿1,311

$43.29 Ft 13.9K

-9.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿126

$19.33 Ft 6,199

-80.50%

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 ฿218

$3.32 Ft 1,066

96.39%

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

$803 ฿26.8K

$157 Ft 50.4K

411.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿491.3K

$5,063 Ft 1.6M

190.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.9 ฿1,867

$84.5 Ft 27.1K

-33.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.51 ฿853

$51.6 Ft 16.6K

-50.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 ฿3,045

$92.7 Ft 29.7K

-1.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,450

$122 Ft 39.1K

-39.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.2K

$413 Ft 132.3K

17.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,634

$343 Ft 109.9K

-15.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 ฿29.6K

$665 Ft 213.2K

33.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 ฿17.5K

$537 Ft 172.3K

-2.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,989 ฿66.5K

$2,052 Ft 658.0K

-3.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,440 ฿48.2K

$1,681 Ft 539.0K

-14.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 ฿20.2K

$1,081 Ft 346.6K

-44.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.69

-27.57%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 21, 2026

Last update for Szolnok: September 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $413 in Szolnok. 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 79% higher in Szolnok, 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 $47.00 in Szolnok. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Chiang Mai vs $204 in Szolnok – so Szolnok 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 Szolnok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Szolnok costs about 22% 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 $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,731 in Szolnok. 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 $803 per month in Chiang Mai and $157 in Szolnok. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Szolnok – 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 $942, than in Szolnok at $1,154. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Szolnok it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $942 versus $1,154 in Szolnok. 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, Szolnok makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.