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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,119 in Szombathely, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,614 in Szombathely, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,110 in Szombathely, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 23% cheaper than Szombathely, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Szombathely are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Szombathely 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$8.74 Ft 2,667

-77.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$43.50 Ft 13.3K

-57.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$8.59 Ft 2,620

-8.96%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.17 Ft 663

-10.14%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.10 Ft 336

-22.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.98 Ft 299

-64.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.57 Ft 478

35.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.19 Ft 668

70.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.05 Ft 321

62.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.50 Ft 457

8.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.81 Ft 553

-37.02%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.42 Ft 739

-20.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$9.05 Ft 2,759

79.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.14 Ft 1,872

-49.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$14.30 Ft 4,361

-23.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.96 Ft 599

40.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.83 Ft 558

-33.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.20 Ft 670

-26.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.91 Ft 888

-45.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.13 Ft 345

23.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.22 Ft 373

-4.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.80 Ft 549

-63.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.54 Ft 163

-1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$7.16 Ft 2,183

-34.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$5.02 Ft 1,531

271.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.17 Ft 357

53.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.57 Ft 478

105.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.81 Ft 247

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$18.44 Ft 5,625

4.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.66 Ft 811

-46.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$1.16 Ft 354

11.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$22.24 Ft 6,782

-64.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.68 Ft 512

-24.40%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$27.5K Ft 8.4M

-22.61%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$25.4K Ft 7.7M

-12.53%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$166 Ft 50.5K

-58.32%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$27.27 Ft 8,315

-48.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$19.55 Ft 5,961

-7.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$46.17 Ft 14.1K

-11.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$16.75 Ft 5,108

-58.45%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.34 Ft 1,322

36.41%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$402 Ft 122.6K

-25.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$7,204 Ft 2.2M

107.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$91.8 Ft 28.0K

-40.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$45.08 Ft 13.7K

-40.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$93.0 Ft 28.4K

-8.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$101 Ft 30.8K

-30.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$429 Ft 131.0K

-0.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$313 Ft 95.4K

-24.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$440 Ft 134.1K

82.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$341 Ft 103.9K

51.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,656 Ft 810.0K

-25.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$2,156 Ft 657.6K

-31.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$1,262 Ft 384.9K

-51.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

-33.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Szombathely: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $429 in Szombathely. 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 104% higher in Szombathely, 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 Szombathely. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $226 in Szombathely – so Szombathely 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 Szombathely: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Szombathely costs about 29% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,678 in Szombathely. 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $402 in Szombathely. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Szombathely – 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 $866, than in Szombathely at $1,119. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Szombathely it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,119 in Szombathely. 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, Szombathely makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.