😐A single person spends $1,141 per month in Szekesfehervar vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,854 per month in Szekesfehervar vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,567 per month in Szekesfehervar vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐Szekesfehervar costs about 22% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Szekesfehervar and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Szekesfehervar17% lower, Chiang Mai32% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Szekesfehervar
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.05Ft 3,197
$2.08฿69.5
383.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.7Ft 20.0K
$19.61฿655
219.84%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.75Ft 2,783
$5.67฿189
54.32%
Cappuccino
$2.28Ft 726
$1.81฿60.3
25.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.44Ft 458
$0.77฿25.65
87.01%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09Ft 348
$0.35฿11.53
211.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.09Ft 665
$2.21฿73.9
-5.43%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42Ft 770
$3.79฿127
-36.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Szekesfehervar
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.18Ft 374
$2.05฿68.4
-42.44%
White Bread(500g)
$1.48Ft 471
$1.51฿50.6
-1.99%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.69Ft 854
$1.40฿46.69
92.14%
Eggs
$3.61Ft 1,147
$2.26฿75.4
59.73%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.05Ft 3,197
$16.19฿540
-37.92%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.51Ft 2,070
$2.90฿96.7
124.48%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.27Ft 5,174
$9.42฿314
72.72%
Apples(1kg)
$2.11Ft 672
$2.68฿89.4
-21.27%
Banana(1kg)
$2.24Ft 714
$1.09฿36.37
105.50%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.03Ft 647
$1.62฿54.0
25.31%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.15Ft 1,001
$1.46฿48.74
115.75%
Potato(1kg)
$1.08Ft 343
$1.28฿42.65
-15.62%
Onion(1kg)
$1.18Ft 375
$1.06฿35.31
11.32%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.55Ft 494
$0.72฿23.94
115.28%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49Ft 156
$0.53฿17.56
-7.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.70Ft 2,132
$4.23฿141
58.39%
Wine(Bottle)
$3.13Ft 994
$18.29฿611
-82.89%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30Ft 413
$1.63฿54.4
-20.25%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11Ft 672
$2.90฿96.8
-27.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Szekesfehervar
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.28Ft 406
$0.88฿29.32
45.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$27.52Ft 8,753
$53.8฿1,795
-48.82%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.16Ft 1,005
$1.17฿39.14
170.09%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.70Ft 540
$0.58฿19.30
193.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$18.98Ft 6,039
$2.39฿79.6
694.14%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.89Ft 602
$1.45฿48.41
30.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0KFt 8.9M
$21.0K฿701.4K
33.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.1KFt 9.9M
$26.4K฿882.0K
17.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Szekesfehervar
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$131Ft 41.5K
$63.7฿2,125
105.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.57Ft 9,088
$12.89฿430
121.64%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.92Ft 6,337
$20.52฿685
-2.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Szekesfehervar
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$47.27Ft 15.0K
$39.02฿1,302
21.14%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$3.92฿131
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.72Ft 2,773
$6.58฿220
32.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Szekesfehervar
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$257Ft 81.9K
$784฿26.2K
-67.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,989Ft 2.2M
$14.7K฿489.8K
-52.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Szekesfehervar
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.1Ft 22.3K
$55.1฿1,840
27.20%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.20Ft 8,017
$24.74฿826
1.86%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$78.2Ft 24.9K
$94.1฿3,142
-16.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.3Ft 27.5K
$74.0฿2,469
16.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Szekesfehervar
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$403Ft 128.2K
$490฿16.4K
-17.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$314Ft 100.0K
$288฿9,620
9.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$640Ft 203.5K
$891฿29.8K
-28.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$674Ft 214.5K
$521฿17.4K
29.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,505Ft 1.1M
$1,974฿65.9K
77.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,191Ft 1.0M
$1,444฿48.2K
120.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Szekesfehervar
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,519Ft 483.2K
$602฿20.1K
152.48%
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 Szekesfehervar: September 13, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $403 in Szekesfehervar versus $490 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 152% 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 $63.0 in Szekesfehervar versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $241 – 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
Szekesfehervar vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Szekesfehervar or Chiang Mai?
Szekesfehervar costs about 22% 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 $1,711 per month in Szekesfehervar and $1,398 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 $257 per month in Szekesfehervar and $784 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?
Groceries cost about 2% more in Szekesfehervar, 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 Szekesfehervar or in Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Szekesfehervar at $1,141. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Szekesfehervar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Szekesfehervar or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,141 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