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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $993 in Zalaegerszeg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,463 in Zalaegerszeg, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,934 in Zalaegerszeg, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 12% cheaper than Zalaegerszeg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Zalaegerszeg are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Zalaegerszeg 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$11.42 Ft 3,455

-82.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$57.8 Ft 17.5K

-67.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$8.50 Ft 2,571

-8.82%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$2.22 Ft 673

-13.51%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.68 Ft 509

-52.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$1.23 Ft 373

-70.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.82 Ft 551

21.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.91 Ft 577

91.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.03 Ft 313

60.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.43 Ft 432

13.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$2.15 Ft 650

-44.65%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$3.13 Ft 946

-36.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$9.71 Ft 2,936

64.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$4.61 Ft 1,396

-34.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$7.02 Ft 2,122

54.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.48 Ft 446

86.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.90 Ft 575

-37.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.83 Ft 553

-10.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$3.58 Ft 1,085

-57.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$1.13 Ft 341

22.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.26 Ft 382

-5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.17 Ft 355

-40.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.54 Ft 163

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$6.57 Ft 1,987

-30.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$5.70 Ft 1,724

190.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$0.90 Ft 273

103.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.46 Ft 443

119.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$1.03 Ft 312

-14.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$17.18 Ft 5,199

8.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$3.18 Ft 963

-57.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$1.06 Ft 319

26.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$18.69 Ft 5,654

-58.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.73 Ft 525

-28.90%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$25.9K Ft 7.8M

-16.45%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$31.6K Ft 9.6M

-28.64%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$136 Ft 41.1K

-48.07%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$26.54 Ft 8,031

-48.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$20.47 Ft 6,193

-14.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$37.66 Ft 11.4K

9.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$33.97 Ft 10.3K

-79.51%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$7.06 Ft 2,137

-18.27%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$201 Ft 60.8K

52.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$6,382 Ft 1.9M

128.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$28.45 Ft 8,608

96.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$22.94 Ft 6,940

14.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$46.75 Ft 14.1K

83.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$52.2 Ft 15.8K

38.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$318 Ft 96.3K

34.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$278 Ft 84.2K

-14.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$437 Ft 132.1K

87.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$293 Ft 88.6K

74.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,944 Ft 588.2K

2.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,652 Ft 499.7K

-10.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$826 Ft 249.9K

-25.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-28.57%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Zalaegerszeg: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $318 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 33% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $58.0 in Zalaegerszeg. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $199 in Zalaegerszeg – so Zalaegerszeg 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 Zalaegerszeg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zalaegerszeg costs about 14% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,489 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $201 in Zalaegerszeg. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 21% cheaper in Zalaegerszeg – 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $993 in Zalaegerszeg, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $993 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.