😐A single person spends $1,148 per month in Esztergom vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,715 per month in Esztergom vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,283 per month in Esztergom vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐Esztergom costs about 35% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Esztergom and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Esztergom14% lower, Chiang Mai36% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Esztergom
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.83Ft 2,755
$1.96฿64.0
350.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.15Ft 13.5K
$18.81฿615
129.40%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.54Ft 2,664
$7.92฿259
7.83%
Cappuccino
$1.96Ft 612
$1.91฿62.6
2.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41Ft 439
$0.84฿27.41
67.86%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.20Ft 375
$0.35฿11.51
242.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.82Ft 569
$2.21฿72.1
-17.65%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33Ft 727
$3.80฿124
-38.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Esztergom
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06Ft 331
$1.64฿53.5
-35.37%
White Bread(500g)
$1.51Ft 471
$1.62฿53.1
-6.79%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.88Ft 587
$1.18฿38.62
59.32%
Eggs
$2.72Ft 850
$2.01฿65.8
35.32%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.12Ft 2,845
$15.89฿520
-42.61%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.92Ft 1,847
$3.01฿98.5
96.68%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.55Ft 3,917
$10.77฿352
16.53%
Apples(1kg)
$1.66Ft 518
$2.61฿85.5
-36.40%
Banana(1kg)
$1.92Ft 600
$1.22฿39.88
57.38%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.84Ft 575
$1.70฿55.7
8.24%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.24Ft 1,009
$1.58฿51.5
105.06%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13Ft 353
$1.32฿43.14
-14.39%
Onion(1kg)
$1.43Ft 446
$1.17฿38.23
22.22%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.67Ft 522
$0.67฿21.98
149.25%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53Ft 167
$0.56฿18.32
-5.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.08Ft 2,210
$4.53฿148
56.29%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.58Ft 2,053
$18.20฿595
-63.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.10Ft 345
$1.83฿60.0
-39.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70Ft 529
$3.23฿106
-47.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Esztergom
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.17Ft 365
$0.89฿29.00
31.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$24.59Ft 7,673
$19.38฿634
26.88%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.61Ft 814
$1.35฿44.20
93.33%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.12Ft 351
$1.35฿44.05
-17.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.68Ft 4,267
$8.25฿270
65.82%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.72Ft 536
$1.27฿41.64
35.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.9KFt 7.8M
$21.2K฿691.8K
17.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7KFt 10.8M
$22.5K฿735.3K
54.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Esztergom
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$200Ft 62.3K
$70.2฿2,294
184.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.31Ft 8,209
$13.77฿450
91.07%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.92Ft 6,216
$17.60฿575
13.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Esztergom
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$46.44Ft 14.5K
$41.57฿1,360
11.72%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.96Ft 5,292
$6.60฿216
156.97%
Cinema Ticket
$7.14Ft 2,228
$5.78฿189
23.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Esztergom
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$327Ft 102.0K
$306฿10.0K
6.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,472Ft 1.1M
$14.8K฿484.8K
-76.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Esztergom
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.6Ft 17.0K
$54.4฿1,778
0.33%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.20Ft 8,485
$26.14฿855
4.06%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$64.3Ft 20.1K
$84.5฿2,764
-23.95%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$66.8Ft 20.9K
$69.4฿2,270
-3.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Esztergom
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$449Ft 140.2K
$424฿13.9K
6.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$340Ft 106.1K
$238฿7,788
42.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$642Ft 200.2K
$825฿27.0K
-22.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$542Ft 169.1K
$515฿16.8K
5.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,099Ft 967.0K
$2,049฿67.0K
51.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,427Ft 757.3K
$1,523฿49.8K
59.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Esztergom
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,243Ft 387.9K
$635฿20.8K
95.71%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.5
5
50.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Esztergom: April 28, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $449 in Esztergom versus $424 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 96% higher in Esztergom, 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 $43.00 in Esztergom versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $224 in Esztergom vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Esztergom 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
Esztergom vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Esztergom or Chiang Mai?
Esztergom costs about 35% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Esztergom vs Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,722 per month in Esztergom and $1,278 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Esztergom or Chiang Mai?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in Esztergom and Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $327 per month in Esztergom and $306 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Esztergom or Chiang Mai?
Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Esztergom – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Esztergom or Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Esztergom at $1,148. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Esztergom it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Esztergom or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $1,148 in Esztergom. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Esztergom compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Esztergom or Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Esztergom makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.