Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Nakhon Ratchasima and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Nakhon Ratchasima: $778 a month against $1,619 in Budapest, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Nakhon Ratchasima
🇹🇭 Thailand
$778
/mo nomad
Budapest
🇭🇺 Hungary
$1,619
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Nakhon Ratchasima and in Budapest

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Nakhon Ratchasima and in Budapest actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $778 per month in Nakhon Ratchasima vs $1,619 in Budapest, rent included.

  • Nakhon Ratchasima $778
  • Budapest $1,619

A couple spends around $1,275 per month in Nakhon Ratchasima vs $2,524 in Budapest, rent included.

  • Nakhon Ratchasima $1,275
  • Budapest $2,524

A family of three spends $1,773 per month in Nakhon Ratchasima vs $3,429 in Budapest, rent included.

  • Nakhon Ratchasima $1,773
  • Budapest $3,429

Nakhon Ratchasima is about 52% cheaper than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Nakhon Ratchasima sits 42% below the global median, while Budapest is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Nakhon Ratchasima
Budapest
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.85 ฿95.2
$13.94 Ft 4,503
-79.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$26.19 ฿875
$61.2 Ft 19.8K
-57.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.92 ฿198
$10.19 Ft 3,291
-41.90%
Cappuccino
$1.90 ฿63.5
$3.26 Ft 1,055
-41.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.68
$2.14 Ft 690
-75.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.41
$1.78 Ft 577
-82.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.81 ฿60.6
$3.71 Ft 1,198
-51.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70 ฿90.3
$3.77 Ft 1,217
-28.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Nakhon Ratchasima
Budapest
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿55.6
$1.15 Ft 371
44.35%
White Bread (500g)
$1.22 ฿40.61
$1.79 Ft 578
-31.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.26 ฿42.25
$2.49 Ft 804
-49.40%
Eggs
$1.50 ฿50.1
$3.90 Ft 1,261
-61.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.26 ฿510
$11.10 Ft 3,587
37.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.58 ฿86.1
$6.62 Ft 2,139
-61.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.27 ฿343
$14.69 Ft 4,745
-30.09%
Apples (1kg)
$3.15 ฿105
$1.83 Ft 591
72.13%
Banana (1kg)
$1.26 ฿42.10
$2.05 Ft 661
-38.54%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.92 ฿64.1
$2.37 Ft 765
-18.99%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.93 ฿64.6
$3.90 Ft 1,260
-50.51%
Potato (1kg)
$1.20 ฿40.12
$0.99 Ft 320
21.21%
Onion (1kg)
$1.04 ฿34.87
$1.00 Ft 322
4.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.27 ฿42.32
$1.58 Ft 511
-19.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.37 ฿12.50
$0.67 Ft 216
-44.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.84 ฿95.0
$7.96 Ft 2,572
-64.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.86 ฿597
$6.22 Ft 2,009
187.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 ฿57.0
$1.27 Ft 411
33.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 ฿100.0
$2.03 Ft 654
47.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Nakhon Ratchasima
Budapest
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.46 ฿15.47
$1.52 Ft 490
-69.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.17 ฿641
$28.02 Ft 9,053
-31.58%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.06 ฿35.51
$3.31 Ft 1,070
-67.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.09 ฿36.38
$1.37 Ft 442
-20.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.29 ฿244
$19.83 Ft 6,406
-63.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 ฿44.44
$1.82 Ft 589
-26.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$45.1K ฿1.5M
$29.8K Ft 9.6M
51.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K ฿894.2K
$33.8K Ft 10.9M
-20.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nakhon Ratchasima
Budapest
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$89.1 ฿2,977
$171 Ft 55.3K
-47.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.76 ฿393
$23.51 Ft 7,596
-49.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.28 ฿644
$23.29 Ft 7,526
-17.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Nakhon Ratchasima
Budapest
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.96 ฿1,569
$67.5 Ft 21.8K
-30.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.08 ฿504
$18.89 Ft 6,104
-20.17%
Cinema Ticket
$4.79 ฿160
$9.30 Ft 3,004
-48.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Nakhon Ratchasima
Budapest
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$176 ฿5,868
$533 Ft 172.3K
-67.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.2K ฿475.9K
$16.8K Ft 5.4M
-15.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Nakhon Ratchasima
Budapest
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.1 ฿1,674
$99.6 Ft 32.2K
-49.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.96 ฿968
$43.49 Ft 14.0K
-33.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.9 ฿2,604
$110 Ft 35.7K
-29.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$67.1 ฿2,244
$119 Ft 38.4K
-43.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Nakhon Ratchasima
Budapest
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$221 ฿7,375
$830 Ft 268.3K
-73.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$156 ฿5,221
$622 Ft 200.9K
-74.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$487 ฿16.3K
$1,594 Ft 514.9K
-69.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$418 ฿14.0K
$1,170 Ft 378.1K
-64.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,378 ฿112.9K
$5,832 Ft 1.9M
-42.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,699 ฿56.8K
$3,889 Ft 1.3M
-56.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Nakhon Ratchasima
Budapest
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$592 ฿19.8K
$1,651 Ft 533.4K
-64.12%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.1
6.45
-20.93%

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

Last update for Nakhon Ratchasima: October 10, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Nakhon Ratchasima
$235
Budapest
$258 9.6% $23
Accommodation & Living
Nakhon Ratchasima
$156
Budapest
$622 298% $466
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Nakhon Ratchasima
$120
Budapest
$218 81.4% $98
Clothing & Footwear
Nakhon Ratchasima
$101
Budapest
$168 66.2% $67
Eating Out
Nakhon Ratchasima
$81
Budapest
$223 175% $142
Sport & Entertainment
Nakhon Ratchasima
$57
Budapest
$86 52.3% $30
Getting Around
Nakhon Ratchasima
$28
Budapest
$44 60.7% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $221 in Nakhon Ratchasima versus $830 in Budapest. 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 179% higher in Budapest, 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 $26.00 in Nakhon Ratchasima versus $61.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $258 – making Nakhon Ratchasima the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Nakhon Ratchasima
🇭🇺 Budapest
🕒 Local time
03:48 3:48 AM
22:48 10:48 PM
5 h behind Nakhon Ratchasima
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
126,391
1,686,222 Capital
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Nakhon Ratchasima Budapest 8,270 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Nakhon Ratchasima
  • Budapest

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Nakhon Ratchasima vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Budapest cheaper than Nakhon Ratchasima?
Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 108%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,167 per month in Nakhon Ratchasima and $2,428 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Nakhon Ratchasima, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 46% less in Nakhon Ratchasima. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $176 per month in Nakhon Ratchasima and $533 in Budapest. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Nakhon Ratchasima or in Budapest?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nakhon Ratchasima, where all-in costs run around $778, than in Budapest at $1,619. In Nakhon Ratchasima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Nakhon Ratchasima or Budapest more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Nakhon Ratchasima – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Nakhon Ratchasima or Budapest?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Nakhon Ratchasima. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budapest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Nakhon Ratchasima vs other spots: cost of living compared

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