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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,226 per month in Debrecen vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,864 per month in Debrecen vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,501 per month in Debrecen vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Debrecen costs about 44% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Debrecen and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Debrecen 8% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.45 Ft 3,308

$2.04 ฿68.4

412.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.56 Ft 14.7K

$18.71 ฿626

148.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.28 Ft 2,937

$7.86 ฿263

18.07%

Cappuccino

$1.68 Ft 532

$2.03 ฿67.9

-17.24%

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

$1.10 Ft 348

$0.80 ฿26.71

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Ft 236

$0.35 ฿11.71

114.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 Ft 359

$2.14 ฿71.7

-47.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 Ft 621

$3.67 ฿123

-46.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 Ft 332

$1.73 ฿57.8

-39.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 Ft 513

$1.57 ฿52.5

3.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 Ft 627

$1.20 ฿40.10

65.00%

Eggs

$2.73 Ft 862

$1.97 ฿66.0

38.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.57 Ft 2,396

$16.23 ฿543

-53.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.51 Ft 1,744

$3.06 ฿102

80.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.33 Ft 3,268

$10.80 ฿361

-4.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 Ft 411

$2.77 ฿92.6

-53.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 Ft 566

$1.17 ฿39.05

52.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 Ft 675

$1.71 ฿57.1

24.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 Ft 798

$1.59 ฿53.3

58.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 Ft 247

$1.39 ฿46.63

-43.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 Ft 333

$1.16 ฿38.67

-9.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 Ft 638

$0.66 ฿22.11

206.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Ft 171

$0.52 ฿17.35

3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.68 Ft 2,114

$4.65 ฿155

43.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.39 Ft 1,389

$17.78 ฿595

-75.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 Ft 352

$1.79 ฿59.8

-37.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 Ft 374

$3.34 ฿112

-64.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 Ft 432

$0.91 ฿30.35

49.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.30 Ft 7,689

$18.64 ฿624

30.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 Ft 945

$1.41 ฿47.17

112.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 Ft 360

$1.34 ฿44.82

-14.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.65 Ft 3,687

$8.11 ฿271

43.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Ft 553

$1.23 ฿41.27

42.28%

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

$21.3K Ft 6.7M

$21.4K ฿717.0K

-0.74%

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

$25.3K Ft 8.0M

$21.8K ฿730.0K

15.75%

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

$140 Ft 44.3K

$71.3 ฿2,386

96.48%

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

$27.54 Ft 8,712

$14.01 ฿469

96.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.50 Ft 5,537

$17.93 ฿600

-2.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.80 Ft 13.9K

$40.82 ฿1,365

7.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.44 Ft 2,353

$6.88 ฿230

8.14%

Cinema Ticket

$8.40 Ft 2,657

$5.72 ฿191

46.85%

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

$264 Ft 83.4K

$308 ฿10.3K

-14.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K Ft 3.4M

$14.7K ฿491.0K

-26.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.5 Ft 21.4K

$55.8 ฿1,865

21.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.61 Ft 7,469

$26.04 ฿871

-9.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 Ft 24.2K

$84.8 ฿2,837

-9.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.8 Ft 29.0K

$71.0 ฿2,375

29.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 Ft 173.1K

$423 ฿14.2K

29.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 Ft 147.6K

$242 ฿8,110

92.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 Ft 318.8K

$797 ฿26.7K

26.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$849 Ft 268.8K

$507 ฿17.0K

67.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,983 Ft 943.6K

$1,918 ฿64.2K

55.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,541 Ft 803.8K

$1,464 ฿49.0K

73.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,293 Ft 409.2K

$595 ฿19.9K

117.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.29

45.80%

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

Last update for Debrecen: July 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $547 in Debrecen versus $423 in Chiang Mai. 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 117% higher in Debrecen, 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 $47.00 in Debrecen versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $201 in Debrecen vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Debrecen 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

Debrecen vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Debrecen costs about 44% 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 $1,839 per month in Debrecen and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. 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 $264 per month in Debrecen and $308 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 22% cheaper in Debrecen – 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 $852, than in Debrecen at $1,226. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Debrecen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,226 in Debrecen. 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, Debrecen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.