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 $1,053 per month in Szeged vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,625 per month in Szeged vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,196 per month in Szeged vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Szeged costs about 21% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Szeged and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Szeged 22% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.73 Ft 2,386

$1.98 ฿65.1

290.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.19 Ft 13.9K

$18.80 ฿620

140.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 Ft 1,733

$7.75 ฿255

-27.61%

Cappuccino

$1.97 Ft 607

$1.92 ฿63.2

2.60%

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

$1.36 Ft 421

$0.79 ฿26.09

72.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 Ft 286

$0.36 ฿11.75

158.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 Ft 729

$2.21 ฿72.9

6.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 Ft 672

$3.66 ฿121

-40.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 Ft 332

$1.65 ฿54.5

-35.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 Ft 475

$1.63 ฿53.8

-5.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 Ft 547

$1.19 ฿39.31

48.74%

Eggs

$2.91 Ft 899

$2.00 ฿65.8

45.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 Ft 2,492

$15.98 ฿526

-49.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.95 Ft 1,837

$3.03 ฿99.7

96.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.31 Ft 3,493

$10.86 ฿358

4.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 Ft 571

$2.76 ฿91.0

-32.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 Ft 575

$1.18 ฿38.87

57.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 Ft 625

$1.64 ฿54.1

23.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 Ft 895

$1.52 ฿50.1

90.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 Ft 315

$1.38 ฿45.63

-26.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 Ft 368

$1.19 ฿39.29

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 Ft 430

$0.70 ฿23.13

98.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 Ft 145

$0.56 ฿18.34

-16.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.52 Ft 2,320

$4.58 ฿151

64.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.31 Ft 1,638

$16.56 ฿546

-67.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 Ft 287

$1.83 ฿60.2

-49.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 Ft 383

$3.20 ฿105

-61.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 Ft 498

$0.88 ฿28.90

82.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.00 Ft 8,642

$18.72 ฿617

49.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.90 Ft 896

$1.36 ฿44.68

113.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 Ft 395

$1.34 ฿44.16

-4.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.38 Ft 5,365

$7.84 ฿258

121.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Ft 540

$1.23 ฿40.39

42.28%

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

$25.5K Ft 7.9M

$21.6K ฿712.5K

18.14%

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

$25.6K Ft 7.9M

$22.5K ฿742.9K

13.35%

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

$104 Ft 32.2K

$70.5 ฿2,324

47.99%

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

$25.12 Ft 7,754

$13.68 ฿451

83.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.72 Ft 5,778

$17.45 ฿575

7.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.21 Ft 12.4K

$41.33 ฿1,362

-2.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 Ft 6,143

$6.96 ฿229

185.92%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 Ft 2,401

$5.77 ฿190

34.84%

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

$221 Ft 68.2K

$307 ฿10.1K

-28.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,372 Ft 2.0M

$14.6K ฿481.4K

-56.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.3 Ft 27.9K

$55.8 ฿1,838

61.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 Ft 8,060

$26.21 ฿864

-0.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 Ft 26.5K

$85.8 ฿2,825

0.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 Ft 32.4K

$72.2 ฿2,380

45.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 Ft 136.0K

$430 ฿14.2K

2.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 Ft 106.1K

$239 ฿7,865

43.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 Ft 209.0K

$817 ฿26.9K

-17.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$537 Ft 165.7K

$511 ฿16.8K

5.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,386 Ft 1.0M

$1,983 ฿65.3K

70.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,456 Ft 758.0K

$1,484 ฿48.9K

65.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,328 Ft 409.8K

$619 ฿20.4K

114.55%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $441 in Szeged versus $430 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 115% 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 $45.00 in Szeged versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $210 in Szeged vs $241 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 21% 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 $1,580 per month in Szeged and $1,303 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 $221 per month in Szeged and $307 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 15% 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 $869, than in Szeged at $1,053. 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 $869 versus $1,053 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.