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 $1,055 per month in Szeged vs $845 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,657 per month in Szeged vs $1,323 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,258 per month in Szeged vs $1,802 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Szeged costs about 25% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Szeged and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Szeged 21% lower, Chiang Mai 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.82 Ft 2,432

$1.95 ฿62.8

301.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.23 Ft 14.1K

$18.43 ฿594

145.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.65 Ft 1,759

$7.50 ฿241

-24.67%

Cappuccino

$1.96 Ft 609

$1.93 ฿62.3

1.55%

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

$1.36 Ft 423

$0.78 ฿25.08

74.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 Ft 305

$0.32 ฿10.42

206.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 Ft 724

$2.15 ฿69.2

8.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 Ft 672

$3.71 ฿120

-41.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 Ft 344

$1.71 ฿55.2

-35.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 Ft 477

$1.56 ฿50.3

-1.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 Ft 575

$1.18 ฿38.06

56.78%

Eggs

$2.95 Ft 919

$1.98 ฿63.9

48.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.82 Ft 2,435

$16.04 ฿517

-51.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.62 Ft 1,749

$3.17 ฿102

77.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 Ft 3,403

$10.94 ฿353

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 Ft 598

$2.63 ฿84.7

-27.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 Ft 575

$1.17 ฿37.61

58.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 Ft 634

$1.65 ฿53.0

23.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.81 Ft 875

$1.54 ฿49.51

82.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 Ft 328

$1.38 ฿44.34

-23.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 Ft 371

$1.17 ฿37.54

1.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 Ft 450

$0.66 ฿21.25

119.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 Ft 149

$0.51 ฿16.55

-5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 Ft 2,221

$4.52 ฿146

57.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.18 Ft 1,612

$18.32 ฿590

-71.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 Ft 312

$1.80 ฿57.9

-44.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 Ft 372

$3.18 ฿102

-62.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.56 Ft 486

$0.90 ฿28.97

73.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.50 Ft 8,555

$19.00 ฿612

44.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 Ft 864

$1.41 ฿45.50

97.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 Ft 396

$1.31 ฿42.15

-3.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.38 Ft 5,408

$8.09 ฿261

114.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Ft 544

$1.28 ฿41.08

36.72%

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

$25.8K Ft 8.0M

$21.3K ฿686.1K

21.33%

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

$25.6K Ft 8.0M

$21.7K ฿699.3K

17.74%

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

$106 Ft 33.0K

$69.2 ฿2,230

53.06%

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

$24.82 Ft 7,723

$13.97 ฿450

77.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.19 Ft 5,970

$17.95 ฿578

6.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.56 Ft 12.6K

$42.31 ฿1,363

-4.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.08 Ft 6,249

$6.66 ฿214

201.50%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 Ft 2,440

$5.92 ฿191

32.43%

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

$223 Ft 69.5K

$299 ฿9,640

-25.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,248 Ft 1.9M

$14.8K ฿478.4K

-57.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.1 Ft 27.4K

$56.2 ฿1,810

56.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.98 Ft 8,084

$26.94 ฿868

-3.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 Ft 26.7K

$84.9 ฿2,735

1.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 Ft 33.1K

$71.8 ฿2,314

47.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 Ft 134.5K

$435 ฿14.0K

-0.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 Ft 105.4K

$240 ฿7,727

41.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$655 Ft 203.9K

$798 ฿25.7K

-17.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$536 Ft 166.9K

$498 ฿16.1K

7.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,360 Ft 1.0M

$1,995 ฿64.3K

68.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,468 Ft 767.9K

$1,532 ฿49.4K

61.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,295 Ft 402.8K

$628 ฿20.2K

106.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

17.00%

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

Last update for Szeged: April 19, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Szeged versus $435 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 106% 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 $45 in Szeged versus $18 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $208 in Szeged vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Szeged 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

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

Szeged costs about 25% 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 $1,583 per month in Szeged and $1,267 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 $223 per month in Szeged and $299 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 17% cheaper in Szeged – 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 $845, than in Szeged at $1,055. 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 $845 versus $1,055 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.