😐A single person spends $1,003 per month in Szekesfehervar vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,641 per month in Szekesfehervar vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,278 per month in Szekesfehervar vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐Szekesfehervar costs about 17% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Szekesfehervar and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Szekesfehervar25% lower, Chiang Mai36% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Szekesfehervar
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.36Ft 3,610
$1.96฿65.9
479.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.7Ft 18.0K
$18.35฿617
209.16%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.92Ft 2,833
$7.48฿252
19.25%
Cappuccino
$1.92Ft 609
$2.02฿67.8
-4.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28Ft 408
$0.85฿28.52
50.59%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.96Ft 304
$0.36฿11.97
166.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.89Ft 601
$2.14฿71.9
-11.68%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49Ft 790
$3.59฿121
-30.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Szekesfehervar
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06Ft 338
$1.65฿55.5
-35.76%
White Bread(500g)
$1.69Ft 538
$1.57฿52.7
7.64%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.14Ft 680
$1.19฿40.05
79.83%
Eggs
$2.78Ft 883
$1.94฿65.1
43.30%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.63Ft 2,423
$16.19฿545
-52.87%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.90Ft 1,875
$2.99฿101
97.32%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.75Ft 4,688
$10.94฿368
34.83%
Apples(1kg)
$1.91Ft 608
$2.71฿91.2
-29.52%
Banana(1kg)
$1.85Ft 587
$1.17฿39.27
58.12%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.97Ft 625
$1.69฿56.8
16.57%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.81Ft 893
$1.60฿54.0
75.63%
Potato(1kg)
$1.02Ft 325
$1.38฿46.56
-26.09%
Onion(1kg)
$1.19Ft 377
$1.20฿40.47
-0.83%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.43Ft 453
$0.67฿22.51
113.43%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.44Ft 140
$0.56฿18.74
-21.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.03Ft 1,915
$4.64฿156
29.96%
Wine(Bottle)
$3.16Ft 1,003
$17.62฿593
-82.07%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.94Ft 300
$1.86฿62.6
-49.46%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46Ft 462
$3.30฿111
-55.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Szekesfehervar
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.14Ft 361
$0.88฿29.70
29.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$24.90Ft 7,912
$19.34฿651
28.75%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.75Ft 875
$1.36฿45.92
102.21%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.20Ft 380
$1.34฿45.00
-10.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.06Ft 5,420
$8.21฿276
107.80%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.73Ft 551
$1.22฿41.20
41.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.9KFt 8.2M
$21.4K฿718.5K
21.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6KFt 8.1M
$22.5K฿758.1K
13.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Szekesfehervar
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$104Ft 33.0K
$70.7฿2,378
46.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.65Ft 7,832
$14.04฿472
75.57%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.37Ft 5,836
$17.49฿589
5.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Szekesfehervar
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$46.37Ft 14.7K
$42.15฿1,418
10.01%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.02Ft 5,410
$6.88฿231
147.38%
Cinema Ticket
$6.76Ft 2,148
$5.92฿199
14.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Szekesfehervar
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$222Ft 70.6K
$309฿10.4K
-27.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,408Ft 2.0M
$14.9K฿500.7K
-56.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Szekesfehervar
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.0Ft 20.3K
$55.8฿1,876
14.78%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$22.77Ft 7,235
$26.11฿879
-12.79%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$71.2Ft 22.6K
$83.0฿2,793
-14.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.3Ft 24.9K
$70.5฿2,371
11.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Szekesfehervar
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$378Ft 120.0K
$432฿14.5K
-12.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$292Ft 92.8K
$239฿8,040
22.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$595Ft 189.0K
$822฿27.7K
-27.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$523Ft 166.3K
$512฿17.2K
2.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,517Ft 1.1M
$1,915฿64.4K
83.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,161Ft 1.0M
$1,467฿49.4K
115.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Szekesfehervar
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,517Ft 482.1K
$579฿19.5K
161.88%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.85
5
17.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Szekesfehervar: July 14, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $378 in Szekesfehervar versus $432 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 162% higher in Szekesfehervar, 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 $57.0 in Szekesfehervar versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $217 in Szekesfehervar vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Szekesfehervar 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
Szekesfehervar vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Szekesfehervar or Chiang Mai?
Szekesfehervar costs about 17% 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 Szekesfehervar and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,505 per month in Szekesfehervar and $1,292 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Szekesfehervar 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 Szekesfehervar and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $222 per month in Szekesfehervar and $309 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 Szekesfehervar or in Chiang Mai?
Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Szekesfehervar – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Can you live on $800/month in Szekesfehervar or in Chiang Mai?
$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,003 in Szekesfehervar and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Szekesfehervar or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,003 in Szekesfehervar. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Szekesfehervar 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 Szekesfehervar or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Szekesfehervar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Szekesfehervar vs other spots: cost of living compared