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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $923 in Szolnok, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,393 in Szolnok, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,862 in Szolnok, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 8% cheaper than Szolnok, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Szolnok are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Szolnok 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$7.73 Ft 2,435

-73.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$39.96 Ft 12.6K

-53.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$7.94 Ft 2,500

-1.01%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.95 Ft 613

4.10%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.40 Ft 441

-42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$1.14 Ft 358

-69.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.92 Ft 604

11.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.33 Ft 736

57.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$0.78 Ft 247

121.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.10 Ft 346

42.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.61 Ft 506

-25.47%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.21 Ft 695

-10.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$6.27 Ft 1,975

158.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.29 Ft 1,667

-42.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$10.87 Ft 3,424

-0.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.19 Ft 374

132.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.51 Ft 475

-22.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.33 Ft 419

28.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.09 Ft 658

-23.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.94 Ft 295

47.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.91 Ft 287

27.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.00 Ft 314

-34.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.32 Ft 99.8

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$6.39 Ft 2,013

-27.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$3.82 Ft 1,203

365.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$0.76 Ft 238

135.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.09 Ft 343

206.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$1.01 Ft 317

-9.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$24.23 Ft 7,634

-23.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$2.53 Ft 799

-44.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$1.16 Ft 364

15.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$13.88 Ft 4,374

-41.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.68 Ft 530

-26.79%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$17.9K Ft 5.6M

19.79%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$34.5K Ft 10.9M

-36.81%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$104 Ft 32.7K

-31.32%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$24.01 Ft 7,563

-41.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$17.19 Ft 5,417

4.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$52.6 Ft 16.6K

-22.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$8.41 Ft 2,648

-18.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$7.27 Ft 2,291

-21.32%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$143 Ft 44.9K

116.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$3,470 Ft 1.1M

323.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$54.5 Ft 17.2K

2.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$27.10 Ft 8,537

-3.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$64.5 Ft 20.3K

31.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$68.1 Ft 21.4K

4.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$323 Ft 101.6K

31.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$275 Ft 86.6K

-11.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$486 Ft 153.3K

63.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$389 Ft 122.6K

30.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$2,070 Ft 652.3K

-7.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,694 Ft 533.9K

-13.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$1,077 Ft 339.2K

-44.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.26

-51.27%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Szolnok: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $323 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 81% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $40.00 in Szolnok. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $169 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 8% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,384 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $143 in Szolnok. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 45% cheaper in Szolnok – 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 $852 in Chiang Mai and $923 in Szolnok, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $923 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.