Cost of Living Comparison Between Szeged and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Szeged and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Szeged vs $950 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,023 per month in Szeged vs $1,430 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,753 per month in Szeged vs $1,909 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Szeged costs about 36% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Szeged and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Szeged 6% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.20 Ft 3,196

$2.10 ฿69.3

385.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.7 Ft 19.3K

$19.84 ฿656

210.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.32 Ft 2,919

$5.79 ฿191

60.97%

Cappuccino

$2.44 Ft 765

$1.83 ฿60.4

33.33%

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

$1.58 Ft 496

$0.78 ฿25.61

102.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 Ft 413

$0.31 ฿10.37

325.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 Ft 705

$2.34 ฿77.2

-3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 Ft 735

$3.70 ฿122

-36.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Ft 382

$2.03 ฿67.1

-39.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 Ft 466

$1.60 ฿52.7

-6.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.74 Ft 857

$1.42 ฿46.75

92.96%

Eggs

$3.81 Ft 1,193

$2.18 ฿71.9

74.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.45 Ft 3,272

$15.91 ฿526

-34.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 Ft 2,171

$3.07 ฿102

125.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.39 Ft 5,135

$9.87 ฿326

66.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 Ft 756

$2.63 ฿86.8

-8.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 Ft 742

$1.10 ฿36.19

115.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 Ft 671

$1.63 ฿53.8

31.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 Ft 1,108

$1.53 ฿50.6

131.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 Ft 343

$1.24 ฿41.13

-12.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 Ft 372

$1.13 ฿37.37

5.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 Ft 510

$0.74 ฿24.38

120.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 Ft 177

$0.50 ฿16.48

14.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.16 Ft 2,556

$4.28 ฿141

90.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.04 Ft 1,578

$17.97 ฿594

-71.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 Ft 412

$1.70 ฿56.1

-22.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 Ft 649

$2.90 ฿95.7

-28.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.81 Ft 566

$0.94 ฿31.13

92.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.30 Ft 9,806

$55.3 ฿1,827

-43.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 Ft 964

$1.23 ฿40.76

150.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 Ft 538

$0.53 ฿17.66

224.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.92 Ft 5,925

$2.40 ฿79.3

688.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 Ft 609

$1.44 ฿47.55

34.72%

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

$28.3K Ft 8.9M

$21.2K ฿700.2K

33.37%

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

$39.4K Ft 12.3M

$27.3K ฿902.1K

44.13%

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

$136 Ft 42.7K

$64.9 ฿2,145

109.98%

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

$23.24 Ft 7,280

$13.35 ฿441

74.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.60 Ft 6,453

$20.83 ฿688

-1.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.12 Ft 15.4K

$40.42 ฿1,336

21.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.29 Ft 9,803

$3.95 ฿131

692.15%

Cinema Ticket

$8.55 Ft 2,679

$6.71 ฿222

27.42%

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

$259 Ft 81.3K

$787 ฿26.0K

-67.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,070 Ft 2.2M

$15.1K ฿499.6K

-53.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 Ft 33.8K

$56.2 ฿1,858

91.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.02 Ft 11.0K

$24.95 ฿824

40.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 Ft 29.5K

$92.7 ฿3,063

1.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 Ft 41.0K

$75.1 ฿2,482

74.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$534 Ft 167.1K

$484 ฿16.0K

10.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 Ft 121.3K

$287 ฿9,491

34.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$791 Ft 247.9K

$910 ฿30.1K

-12.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$635 Ft 198.9K

$531 ฿17.5K

19.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,277 Ft 1.0M

$1,980 ฿65.4K

65.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,403 Ft 752.7K

$1,451 ฿47.9K

65.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,348 Ft 422.3K

$605 ฿20.0K

122.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

5.57

19.75%

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

Last update for Szeged: September 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $534 in Szeged 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 123% higher in Szeged, 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 $62.0 in Szeged versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $261 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

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

Szeged costs about 36% 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 $1,940 per month in Szeged 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 $259 per month in Szeged 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 8% more in Szeged, 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 Szeged at $1,294. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Szeged it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,294 in Szeged. 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, Szeged makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.