😐A single person spends $1,279 per month in Siofok vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,052 per month in Siofok vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,825 per month in Siofok vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐Siofok costs about 35% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Siofok and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Siofok7% lower, Chiang Mai31% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Siofok
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.10Ft 5,984
$2.10฿69.3
809.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.6Ft 17.1K
$19.84฿656
175.00%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.86Ft 2,461
$5.79฿191
35.75%
Cappuccino
$2.64Ft 828
$1.83฿60.4
44.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43Ft 760
$0.78฿25.61
211.54%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80Ft 563
$0.31฿10.37
480.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.34Ft 1,047
$2.34฿77.2
42.74%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.98Ft 1,247
$3.70฿122
7.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Siofok
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.40Ft 439
$2.03฿67.1
-31.03%
White Bread(500g)
$1.38Ft 431
$1.60฿52.7
-13.75%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.27Ft 712
$1.42฿46.75
59.86%
Eggs
$3.70Ft 1,160
$2.18฿71.9
69.72%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.10Ft 2,850
$15.91฿526
-42.80%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.11Ft 1,913
$3.07฿102
99.02%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.65Ft 5,528
$9.87฿326
78.82%
Apples(1kg)
$1.79Ft 560
$2.63฿86.8
-31.94%
Banana(1kg)
$2.27Ft 712
$1.10฿36.19
106.36%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.11Ft 662
$1.63฿53.8
29.45%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.03Ft 949
$1.53฿50.6
98.04%
Potato(1kg)
$2.11Ft 662
$1.24฿41.13
70.16%
Onion(1kg)
$1.30Ft 409
$1.13฿37.37
15.04%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.23Ft 386
$0.74฿24.38
66.22%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.58Ft 182
$0.50฿16.48
16.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.41Ft 2,322
$4.28฿141
73.13%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.02Ft 1,573
$17.97฿594
-72.06%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.10Ft 345
$1.70฿56.1
-35.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43Ft 449
$2.90฿95.7
-50.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Siofok
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.30Ft 408
$0.94฿31.13
38.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$28.73Ft 9,000
$55.3฿1,827
-48.04%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.07Ft 961
$1.23฿40.76
149.59%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.49Ft 466
$0.53฿17.66
181.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$22.05Ft 6,906
$2.40฿79.3
818.75%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.99Ft 622
$1.44฿47.55
38.19%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.1KFt 9.1M
$21.2K฿700.2K
37.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.1KFt 11.0M
$27.3K฿902.1K
28.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Siofok
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$160Ft 50.0K
$64.9฿2,145
145.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.75Ft 8,065
$13.35฿441
92.88%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.92Ft 6,865
$20.83฿688
5.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Siofok
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$49.38Ft 15.5K
$40.42฿1,336
22.17%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.69Ft 5,854
$3.95฿131
373.16%
Cinema Ticket
$8.75Ft 2,740
$6.71฿222
30.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Siofok
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$265Ft 82.9K
$787฿26.0K
-66.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,960Ft 2.5M
$15.1K฿499.6K
-47.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Siofok
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.5Ft 29.3K
$56.2฿1,858
66.19%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.90Ft 9,992
$24.95฿824
27.86%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$81.1Ft 25.4K
$92.7฿3,063
-12.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109Ft 34.0K
$75.1฿2,482
44.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Siofok
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$399Ft 125.1K
$484฿16.0K
-17.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$321Ft 100.6K
$287฿9,491
11.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$775Ft 242.9K
$910฿30.1K
-14.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$673Ft 210.8K
$531฿17.5K
26.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,437Ft 1.1M
$1,980฿65.4K
73.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,706Ft 847.6K
$1,451฿47.9K
86.47%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Siofok
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,194Ft 374.0K
$605฿20.0K
97.24%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9
5.57
61.58%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Siofok: September 7, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $399 in Siofok 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 97% higher in Siofok, 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 $55.0 in Siofok versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $248 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
Siofok vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Siofok or Chiang Mai?
Siofok 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 Siofok and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,919 per month in Siofok and $1,426 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Siofok 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 Siofok and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $265 per month in Siofok and $787 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 Siofok or in Chiang Mai?
Groceries cost about 2% more in Siofok, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Siofok or in Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Siofok at $1,279. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Siofok it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Siofok or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,279 in Siofok. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Siofok 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 Siofok or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Siofok makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.