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 $1,405 per month in Debrecen vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,205 per month in Debrecen vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,006 per month in Debrecen vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Debrecen costs about 48% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Debrecen sits 2% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.67 Ft 4,597

$2.10 ฿69.3

598.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.5 Ft 15.8K

$19.84 ฿656

154.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 Ft 3,167

$5.79 ฿191

74.61%

Cappuccino

$2.45 Ft 768

$1.83 ฿60.4

33.88%

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

$1.61 Ft 505

$0.78 ฿25.61

106.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 Ft 345

$0.31 ฿10.37

254.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 Ft 618

$2.34 ฿77.2

-15.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 Ft 772

$3.70 ฿122

-33.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 Ft 409

$2.03 ฿67.1

-35.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 Ft 502

$1.60 ฿52.7

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.52 Ft 789

$1.42 ฿46.75

77.46%

Eggs

$3.82 Ft 1,197

$2.18 ฿71.9

75.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.73 Ft 3,362

$15.91 ฿526

-32.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.22 Ft 2,260

$3.07 ฿102

135.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.91 Ft 4,985

$9.87 ฿326

61.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 Ft 641

$2.63 ฿86.8

-22.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 Ft 708

$1.10 ฿36.19

105.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 Ft 685

$1.63 ฿53.8

34.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 Ft 1,125

$1.53 ฿50.6

134.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 Ft 302

$1.24 ฿41.13

-22.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 Ft 411

$1.13 ฿37.37

15.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.67 Ft 523

$0.74 ฿24.38

125.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Ft 170

$0.50 ฿16.48

8.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.33 Ft 2,295

$4.28 ฿141

71.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.22 Ft 1,323

$17.97 ฿594

-76.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 Ft 402

$1.70 ฿56.1

-24.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 Ft 713

$2.90 ฿95.7

-21.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 Ft 482

$0.94 ฿31.13

63.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.38 Ft 8,578

$55.3 ฿1,827

-50.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 Ft 1,077

$1.23 ฿40.76

179.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 Ft 463

$0.53 ฿17.66

179.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.01 Ft 4,075

$2.40 ฿79.3

442.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 Ft 609

$1.44 ฿47.55

34.72%

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

$33.9K Ft 10.6M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

59.98%

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

$38.2K Ft 12.0M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

39.78%

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

$166 Ft 51.9K

$64.9 ฿2,145

155.14%

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

$27.37 Ft 8,573

$13.35 ฿441

105.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.28 Ft 6,978

$20.83 ฿688

6.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.4 Ft 16.1K

$40.42 ฿1,336

27.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.40 Ft 2,631

$3.95 ฿131

112.66%

Cinema Ticket

$10.08 Ft 3,157

$6.71 ฿222

50.22%

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

$425 Ft 133.1K

$787 ฿26.0K

-46.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K Ft 3.5M

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-26.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.0 Ft 28.5K

$56.2 ฿1,858

61.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.06 Ft 11.0K

$24.95 ฿824

40.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 Ft 27.6K

$92.7 ฿3,063

-4.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 Ft 33.2K

$75.1 ฿2,482

41.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$652 Ft 204.2K

$484 ฿16.0K

34.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$492 Ft 154.2K

$287 ฿9,491

71.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 Ft 383.6K

$910 ฿30.1K

34.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 Ft 300.7K

$531 ฿17.5K

80.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,106 Ft 972.9K

$1,980 ฿65.4K

56.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,698 Ft 845.1K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

85.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,284 Ft 402.1K

$605 ฿20.0K

112.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.9

5.57

23.88%

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

Last update for Debrecen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $652 in Debrecen versus $484 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 112% 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 $50.0 in Debrecen versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $259 vs $242 – 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

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

Debrecen costs about 48% 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 $2,107 per month in Debrecen and $1,426 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 $425 per month in Debrecen and $787 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Debrecen, 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 $950, than in Debrecen at $1,405. 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 $950 versus $1,405 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.