Cost of Living Comparison Between Szentendre and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Szentendre and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,155 per month in Szentendre vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,758 per month in Szentendre vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,361 per month in Szentendre vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Szentendre costs about 33% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Szentendre and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Szentendre 14% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 Ft 3,576

$1.94 ฿63.5

504.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.5 Ft 16.9K

$18.64 ฿609

197.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.85 Ft 2,700

$7.82 ฿255

13.17%

Cappuccino

$2.08 Ft 634

$1.95 ฿63.8

6.67%

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

$1.42 Ft 433

$0.85 ฿27.77

67.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 Ft 379

$0.35 ฿11.58

254.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 Ft 885

$2.13 ฿69.6

36.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 Ft 719

$3.73 ฿122

-36.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 Ft 305

$1.71 ฿56.0

-41.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 Ft 479

$1.63 ฿53.2

-3.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 Ft 577

$1.14 ฿37.15

65.79%

Eggs

$2.71 Ft 826

$1.93 ฿63.1

40.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 Ft 3,007

$16.21 ฿530

-39.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.09 Ft 1,856

$3.12 ฿102

95.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.32 Ft 3,756

$10.90 ฿356

13.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 Ft 523

$2.75 ฿90.0

-37.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 Ft 603

$1.21 ฿39.52

63.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 Ft 548

$1.62 ฿53.0

11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.31 Ft 1,008

$1.59 ฿51.8

108.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 Ft 330

$1.40 ฿45.70

-22.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 Ft 371

$1.17 ฿38.17

4.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 Ft 450

$0.66 ฿21.60

124.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 Ft 174

$0.53 ฿17.22

7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.68 Ft 2,038

$4.69 ฿153

42.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.00 Ft 1,830

$18.66 ฿609

-67.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 Ft 338

$1.80 ฿58.8

-38.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 Ft 526

$3.23 ฿106

-46.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 Ft 358

$0.90 ฿29.26

30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.16 Ft 8,283

$19.21 ฿628

41.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 Ft 777

$1.41 ฿45.91

80.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 Ft 338

$1.29 ฿42.12

-13.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.64 Ft 4,161

$7.84 ฿256

73.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 Ft 553

$1.27 ฿41.58

42.52%

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

$24.5K Ft 7.5M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

15.11%

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

$31.1K Ft 9.5M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

39.86%

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

$145 Ft 44.1K

$69.1 ฿2,256

109.35%

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

$26.47 Ft 8,072

$14.08 ฿460

88.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.05 Ft 6,114

$18.00 ฿588

11.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.27 Ft 14.4K

$41.06 ฿1,341

15.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.40 Ft 7,137

$6.96 ฿227

236.21%

Cinema Ticket

$7.37 Ft 2,249

$5.92 ฿193

24.49%

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

$333 Ft 101.4K

$299 ฿9,766

11.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,399 Ft 1.0M

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-77.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 Ft 17.0K

$54.7 ฿1,787

1.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.08 Ft 8,258

$26.77 ฿874

1.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.0 Ft 19.2K

$85.0 ฿2,776

-25.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.3 Ft 20.8K

$70.6 ฿2,306

-3.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 Ft 134.9K

$428 ฿14.0K

3.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 Ft 103.8K

$237 ฿7,752

43.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$631 Ft 192.5K

$801 ฿26.2K

-21.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 Ft 165.5K

$515 ฿16.8K

5.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,217 Ft 981.0K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

62.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,023 Ft 1.2M

$1,475 ฿48.2K

172.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,647 Ft 502.4K

$617 ฿20.2K

166.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

40.60%

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

Last update for Szentendre: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $442 in Szentendre versus $428 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 167% higher in Szentendre, 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 $56.0 in Szentendre versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $225 in Szentendre vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Szentendre 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

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

Szentendre costs about 33% 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 $1,732 per month in Szentendre and $1,300 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 $333 per month in Szentendre 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 10% cheaper in Szentendre – 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 $866, than in Szentendre at $1,155. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Szentendre it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,155 in Szentendre. 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, Szentendre makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.