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 $1,219 per month in Debrecen vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,885 per month in Debrecen vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,552 per month in Debrecen vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Debrecen costs about 40% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Debrecen and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Debrecen 9% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.42 Ft 3,151

$1.98 ฿64.3

426.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.66 Ft 14.1K

$18.80 ฿612

148.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 Ft 2,810

$7.75 ฿252

19.87%

Cappuccino

$1.69 Ft 510

$1.92 ฿62.5

-11.98%

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

$1.16 Ft 352

$0.79 ฿25.79

46.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 Ft 247

$0.36 ฿11.62

125.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 Ft 356

$2.21 ฿72.1

-46.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 Ft 618

$3.66 ฿119

-44.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 Ft 325

$1.65 ฿53.8

-34.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 Ft 469

$1.63 ฿53.2

-4.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 Ft 635

$1.19 ฿38.86

76.47%

Eggs

$2.73 Ft 825

$2.00 ฿65.1

36.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.61 Ft 2,303

$15.98 ฿520

-52.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.42 Ft 1,639

$3.03 ฿98.5

78.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.51 Ft 3,181

$10.86 ฿354

-3.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 Ft 377

$2.76 ฿90.0

-54.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 Ft 529

$1.18 ฿38.42

48.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 Ft 616

$1.64 ฿53.5

23.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 Ft 798

$1.52 ฿49.51

73.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 Ft 238

$1.38 ฿45.10

-42.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 Ft 306

$1.19 ฿38.84

-15.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 Ft 609

$0.70 ฿22.86

187.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Ft 162

$0.56 ฿18.13

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.68 Ft 2,020

$4.58 ฿149

45.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.77 Ft 1,443

$16.56 ฿539

-71.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 Ft 335

$1.83 ฿59.5

-39.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 Ft 349

$3.20 ฿104

-64.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.34 Ft 407

$0.88 ฿28.56

52.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.29 Ft 7,348

$18.72 ฿610

29.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 Ft 929

$1.36 ฿44.16

125.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 Ft 359

$1.34 ฿43.65

-11.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.65 Ft 3,523

$7.84 ฿256

48.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 Ft 503

$1.23 ฿39.92

34.96%

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

$21.7K Ft 6.6M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

0.46%

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

$25.5K Ft 7.7M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

12.98%

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

$138 Ft 41.8K

$70.5 ฿2,298

96.00%

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

$27.05 Ft 8,184

$13.68 ฿445

97.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.44 Ft 5,277

$17.45 ฿568

-0.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.25 Ft 13.7K

$41.33 ฿1,346

9.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.77 Ft 2,350

$6.96 ฿227

11.64%

Cinema Ticket

$8.65 Ft 2,616

$5.77 ฿188

49.91%

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

$257 Ft 77.6K

$307 ฿10.0K

-16.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K Ft 3.2M

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-26.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.9 Ft 19.9K

$55.8 ฿1,817

18.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.59 Ft 7,138

$26.21 ฿854

-10.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 Ft 23.5K

$85.8 ฿2,793

-9.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.1 Ft 27.2K

$72.2 ฿2,353

24.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$548 Ft 165.7K

$430 ฿14.0K

27.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 Ft 140.5K

$239 ฿7,774

94.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,004 Ft 303.8K

$817 ฿26.6K

22.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$848 Ft 256.7K

$511 ฿16.6K

66.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,123 Ft 944.9K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

57.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,642 Ft 799.2K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

78.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,284 Ft 388.4K

$619 ฿20.2K

107.44%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $548 in Debrecen versus $430 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 107% 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 $241 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 40% 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 $1,828 per month in Debrecen and $1,303 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 $257 per month in Debrecen and $307 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 20% 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 $869, than in Debrecen at $1,219. 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 $869 versus $1,219 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.