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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $920 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,137 in Zalaegerszeg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,697 in Zalaegerszeg, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,256 in Zalaegerszeg, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 19% cheaper than Zalaegerszeg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Zalaegerszeg are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 33% lower, Zalaegerszeg 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 ฿69.1

$14.45 Ft 4,506

-85.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.75 ฿648

$63.1 Ft 19.7K

-68.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ฿192

$9.38 Ft 2,924

-37.63%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ฿57.8

$2.95 Ft 919

-40.34%

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

$0.74 ฿24.37

$2.03 Ft 633

-63.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.90

$1.31 Ft 409

-74.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 ฿81.0

$2.13 Ft 663

15.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ฿127

$2.18 Ft 680

77.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ฿62.4

$1.26 Ft 394

50.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ฿54.7

$1.48 Ft 461

12.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.24

$2.53 Ft 790

-46.64%

Eggs

$2.14 ฿70.2

$3.54 Ft 1,103

-39.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿521

$12.48 Ft 3,891

27.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ฿92.9

$6.30 Ft 1,963

-55.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 ฿345

$13.05 Ft 4,070

-19.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ฿78.2

$1.92 Ft 599

23.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.01

$2.20 Ft 685

-51.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.79

$2.12 Ft 659

-28.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.30

$3.78 Ft 1,177

-60.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.96

$1.03 Ft 323

24.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.17

$1.15 Ft 359

-4.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.54

$1.44 Ft 450

-52.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.18

$0.61 Ft 190

-19.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$8.39 Ft 2,616

-49.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.78 ฿550

$6.25 Ft 1,950

168.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.14 Ft 354

45.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿92.3

$2.21 Ft 689

27.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.44

$1.20 Ft 373

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

$19.26 Ft 6,006

185.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ฿39.24

$3.57 Ft 1,113

-66.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.78

$1.30 Ft 405

-58.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿77.9

$21.30 Ft 6,640

-88.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.88

$1.95 Ft 607

-26.67%

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

$21.1K ฿691.5K

$30.0K Ft 9.4M

-29.75%

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

$27.1K ฿890.2K

$35.4K Ft 11.0M

-23.27%

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

$64.7 ฿2,124

$151 Ft 47.1K

-57.18%

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

$13.19 ฿433

$25.13 Ft 7,835

-47.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 ฿638

$24.89 Ft 7,760

-21.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 ฿1,294

$40.97 Ft 12.8K

-3.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

$38.81 Ft 12.1K

-90.29%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿217

$7.59 Ft 2,366

-12.78%

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

$805 ฿26.4K

$222 Ft 69.2K

262.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.1K

$17.2K Ft 5.4M

-12.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,796

$32.30 Ft 10.1K

69.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 ฿834

$25.51 Ft 7,954

-0.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 ฿3,015

$52.7 Ft 16.4K

74.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 ฿2,449

$57.0 Ft 17.8K

30.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ฿15.3K

$354 Ft 110.4K

31.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ฿9,251

$297 Ft 92.5K

-4.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.2K

$475 Ft 148.2K

87.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.1K

$314 Ft 97.8K

66.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 ฿65.1K

$1,940 Ft 604.7K

2.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿48.0K

$1,614 Ft 503.2K

-9.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

$802 Ft 250.1K

-26.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.74

-17.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Last update for Zalaegerszeg: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Chiang Mai versus $354 in Zalaegerszeg. 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 35% higher in Zalaegerszeg, 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 $63.0 in Zalaegerszeg. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $251 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Zalaegerszeg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zalaegerszeg costs about 24% 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 $1,380 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,706 in Zalaegerszeg. 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 $805 per month in Chiang Mai and $222 in Zalaegerszeg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Zalaegerszeg, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $920, than in Zalaegerszeg at $1,137. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zalaegerszeg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $920 versus $1,137 in Zalaegerszeg. 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, Zalaegerszeg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.