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 $848 per month in Chiang Mai vs $907 in Szolnok, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,331 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,380 in Szolnok, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,814 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,853 in Szolnok, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 7% 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 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿63.6

$7.72 Ft 2,320

-74.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.39 ฿598

$41.01 Ft 12.3K

-55.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 ฿256

$7.67 Ft 2,304

2.61%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.4

$1.96 Ft 588

-0.51%

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

$0.85 ฿27.57

$1.43 Ft 429

-40.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ฿10.52

$1.18 Ft 354

-72.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿69.6

$1.91 Ft 574

12.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿120

$2.25 Ft 677

63.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿53.9

$0.84 Ft 252

97.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ฿50.7

$1.04 Ft 313

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.63

$1.62 Ft 488

-26.54%

Eggs

$1.99 ฿64.7

$2.18 Ft 654

-8.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.24 ฿528

$6.25 Ft 1,879

159.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ฿103

$5.02 Ft 1,507

-36.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ฿352

$10.81 Ft 3,249

0.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ฿86.2

$1.15 Ft 345

130.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.67

$1.51 Ft 454

-19.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.7

$1.32 Ft 397

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.3

$2.19 Ft 658

-29.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 ฿43.17

$0.88 Ft 266

51.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.43

$0.94 Ft 282

28.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ฿22.04

$0.92 Ft 277

-26.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.38

$0.32 Ft 96.0

78.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.68 ฿152

$6.46 Ft 1,940

-27.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 ฿552

$4.04 Ft 1,214

320.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿59.3

$0.75 Ft 226

142.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ฿103

$1.13 Ft 339

181.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿29.46

$1.00 Ft 300

-9.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.74 ฿609

$24.18 Ft 7,267

-22.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.80

$2.52 Ft 756

-44.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.52

$1.20 Ft 361

11.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 ฿265

$13.86 Ft 4,164

-41.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.53

$1.66 Ft 499

-22.89%

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

$21.8K ฿709.3K

$17.9K Ft 5.4M

22.18%

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

$22.4K ฿728.0K

$33.9K Ft 10.2M

-33.98%

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

$70.5 ฿2,291

$105 Ft 31.6K

-33.04%

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

$14.05 ฿457

$24.38 Ft 7,325

-42.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.65 ฿574

$17.58 Ft 5,282

0.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.29 ฿1,342

$52.8 Ft 15.9K

-21.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.76 ฿220

$8.56 Ft 2,573

-21.03%

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 ฿194

$7.16 Ft 2,152

-16.76%

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

$303 ฿9,846

$145 Ft 43.5K

109.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿486.2K

$3,494 Ft 1.0M

328.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,778

$54.8 Ft 16.5K

-0.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ฿854

$27.35 Ft 8,220

-3.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,788

$62.5 Ft 18.8K

37.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,265

$68.0 Ft 20.4K

2.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿13.9K

$319 Ft 95.9K

34.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,769

$276 Ft 83.0K

-13.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.4K

$481 Ft 144.6K

68.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 ฿16.6K

$383 Ft 115.2K

32.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,025 ฿65.8K

$2,137 Ft 642.0K

-5.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,502 ฿48.8K

$1,628 Ft 489.2K

-7.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 ฿20.2K

$1,153 Ft 346.6K

-46.02%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Szolnok: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $319 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 85% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $41.00 in Szolnok. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $168 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 7% 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 $1,272 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,360 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 $303 per month in Chiang Mai and $145 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 $848 in Chiang Mai and $907 in Szolnok, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $848 versus $907 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.