😐A single person spends $1,059 per month in Szekszard vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,608 per month in Szekszard vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,157 per month in Szekszard vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐Szekszard costs about 22% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Szekszard and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Szekszard21% lower, Chiang Mai35% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Szekszard
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.33Ft 3,428
$1.98฿64.3
472.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.04Ft 13.0K
$18.80฿612
128.94%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.93Ft 2,400
$7.75฿252
2.32%
Cappuccino
$1.43Ft 432
$1.92฿62.5
-25.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42Ft 429
$0.79฿25.79
79.75%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95Ft 286
$0.36฿11.62
163.89%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53Ft 765
$2.21฿72.1
14.48%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52Ft 763
$3.66฿119
-31.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Szekszard
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.08Ft 327
$1.65฿53.8
-34.55%
White Bread(500g)
$1.17Ft 353
$1.63฿53.2
-28.22%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.78Ft 540
$1.19฿38.86
49.58%
Eggs
$2.37Ft 718
$2.00฿65.1
18.50%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.28Ft 2,808
$15.98฿520
-41.93%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.69Ft 1,722
$3.03฿98.5
87.79%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.95Ft 3,314
$10.86฿354
0.83%
Apples(1kg)
$1.47Ft 444
$2.76฿90.0
-46.74%
Banana(1kg)
$1.76Ft 533
$1.18฿38.42
49.15%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.74Ft 528
$1.64฿53.5
6.10%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.28Ft 688
$1.52฿49.51
50.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.17Ft 355
$1.38฿45.10
-15.22%
Onion(1kg)
$1.29Ft 391
$1.19฿38.84
8.40%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.54Ft 466
$0.70฿22.86
120.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.42Ft 126
$0.56฿18.13
-25.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.12Ft 2,154
$4.58฿149
55.46%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.44Ft 1,948
$16.56฿539
-61.11%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.03Ft 313
$1.83฿59.5
-43.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.17Ft 354
$3.20฿104
-63.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Szekszard
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.98Ft 297
$0.88฿28.56
11.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$24.55Ft 7,427
$18.72฿610
31.14%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.90Ft 878
$1.36฿44.16
113.24%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.76Ft 229
$1.34฿43.65
-43.28%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$16.93Ft 5,122
$7.84฿256
115.94%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.77Ft 535
$1.23฿39.92
43.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.0KFt 9.7M
$21.6K฿704.3K
48.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7KFt 10.5M
$22.5K฿734.3K
53.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Szekszard
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$115Ft 34.7K
$70.5฿2,298
62.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.45Ft 4,370
$13.68฿445
5.63%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.80Ft 5,991
$17.45฿568
13.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Szekszard
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.92Ft 13.9K
$41.33฿1,346
11.11%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.46Ft 4,979
$6.96฿227
136.49%
Cinema Ticket
$6.77Ft 2,047
$5.77฿188
17.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Szekszard
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$452Ft 136.8K
$307฿10.0K
47.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,699Ft 2.0M
$14.6K฿475.9K
-54.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Szekszard
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8Ft 17.5K
$55.8฿1,817
3.51%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$22.87Ft 6,921
$26.21฿854
-12.74%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$87.3Ft 26.4K
$85.8฿2,793
1.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.4Ft 21.9K
$72.2฿2,353
0.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Szekszard
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$440Ft 133.3K
$430฿14.0K
2.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$346Ft 104.8K
$239฿7,774
45.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$642Ft 194.1K
$817฿26.6K
-21.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$542Ft 164.0K
$511฿16.6K
6.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,686Ft 510.0K
$1,983฿64.6K
-15.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,299Ft 393.0K
$1,484฿48.3K
-12.47%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Szekszard
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$979Ft 296.2K
$619฿20.2K
58.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8
5
60.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Szekszard: June 9, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $440 in Szekszard 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 58% higher in Szekszard, 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 $43.00 in Szekszard versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $202 in Szekszard vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Szekszard 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
Szekszard vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Szekszard or Chiang Mai?
Szekszard 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 Szekszard vs Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,588 per month in Szekszard and $1,303 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Szekszard 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 Szekszard and Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $452 per month in Szekszard and $307 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 Szekszard or Chiang Mai?
Interestingly, groceries are about 19% cheaper in Szekszard – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Szekszard or Chiang Mai?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $869, than in Szekszard at $1,059. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Szekszard it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Szekszard or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $1,059 in Szekszard. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Szekszard 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 Szekszard or Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Szekszard makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.