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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,142 in Szombathely, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,630 in Szombathely, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,117 in Szombathely, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 25% cheaper than Szombathely, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Szombathely are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Szombathely 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$8.60 Ft 2,733

-77.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$43.64 Ft 13.9K

-57.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$8.27 Ft 2,627

-9.55%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.10 Ft 666

-3.81%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$1.09 Ft 346

-22.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$0.92 Ft 292

-60.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$1.60 Ft 508

33.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.17 Ft 690

65.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.10 Ft 350

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.50 Ft 478

4.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.83 Ft 581

-34.97%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.50 Ft 796

-22.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$9.10 Ft 2,892

77.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$6.03 Ft 1,916

-50.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$14.44 Ft 4,590

-24.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.96 Ft 624

38.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.85 Ft 588

-36.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$2.13 Ft 676

-20.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.86 Ft 910

-44.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$1.18 Ft 375

16.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$1.30 Ft 412

-7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$1.78 Ft 567

-62.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.58 Ft 183

-3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$7.12 Ft 2,263

-34.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$4.83 Ft 1,534

264.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.17 Ft 372

58.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.55 Ft 492

112.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.83 Ft 264

6.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$17.93 Ft 5,698

7.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$2.66 Ft 846

-48.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$1.15 Ft 366

16.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$22.21 Ft 7,059

-63.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.68 Ft 533

-27.38%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$27.5K Ft 8.7M

-22.29%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$26.2K Ft 8.3M

-13.92%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$165 Ft 52.3K

-57.04%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$27.78 Ft 8,827

-49.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$19.85 Ft 6,308

-11.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$45.59 Ft 14.5K

-7.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$17.06 Ft 5,420

-59.67%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.21 Ft 1,338

40.62%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$397 Ft 126.2K

-22.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$7,179 Ft 2.3M

107.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$93.2 Ft 29.6K

-40.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$44.69 Ft 14.2K

-41.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$93.2 Ft 29.6K

-10.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$100 Ft 31.9K

-29.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$430 Ft 136.5K

0.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$319 Ft 101.4K

-25.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$436 Ft 138.5K

88.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$345 Ft 109.5K

48.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,531 Ft 804.2K

-24.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$2,096 Ft 666.0K

-30.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$1,203 Ft 382.2K

-51.84%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Szombathely: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $430 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 108% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $44.00 in Szombathely. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $227 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 33% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,713 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $397 in Szombathely. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Szombathely – 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $1,142 in Szombathely, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,142 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.