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 $1,111 per month in Szentendre vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,732 per month in Szentendre vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,353 per month in Szentendre vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Szentendre costs about 29% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Szentendre and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Szentendre 17% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.69 Ft 3,714

$1.96 ฿65.9

496.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.0 Ft 17.8K

$18.35 ฿617

205.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.59 Ft 2,731

$7.48 ฿252

14.84%

Cappuccino

$2.15 Ft 682

$2.02 ฿67.8

6.44%

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

$1.42 Ft 452

$0.85 ฿28.52

67.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 Ft 382

$0.36 ฿11.97

233.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 Ft 940

$2.14 ฿71.9

38.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 Ft 735

$3.59 ฿121

-35.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 Ft 336

$1.65 ฿55.5

-35.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 Ft 478

$1.57 ฿52.7

-4.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 Ft 579

$1.19 ฿40.05

52.94%

Eggs

$2.62 Ft 832

$1.94 ฿65.1

35.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.67 Ft 3,073

$16.19 ฿545

-40.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.21 Ft 1,975

$2.99 ฿101

107.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.27 Ft 3,898

$10.94 ฿368

12.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 Ft 533

$2.71 ฿91.2

-38.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 Ft 625

$1.17 ฿39.27

68.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 Ft 597

$1.69 ฿56.8

11.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.28 Ft 1,041

$1.60 ฿54.0

105.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 Ft 343

$1.38 ฿46.56

-21.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 Ft 384

$1.20 ฿40.47

0.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 Ft 495

$0.67 ฿22.51

132.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 Ft 191

$0.56 ฿18.74

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.62 Ft 2,102

$4.64 ฿156

42.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 Ft 1,917

$17.62 ฿593

-65.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 Ft 354

$1.86 ฿62.6

-39.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 Ft 547

$3.30 ฿111

-47.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 Ft 374

$0.88 ฿29.70

34.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.25 Ft 8,659

$19.34 ฿651

40.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 Ft 843

$1.36 ฿45.92

94.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 Ft 356

$1.34 ฿45.00

-16.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.72 Ft 4,361

$8.21 ฿276

67.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 Ft 568

$1.22 ฿41.20

46.72%

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

$24.4K Ft 7.7M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

14.21%

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

$31.4K Ft 10.0M

$22.5K ฿758.1K

39.28%

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

$148 Ft 47.1K

$70.7 ฿2,378

109.82%

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

$26.85 Ft 8,531

$14.04 ฿472

91.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.19 Ft 6,415

$17.49 ฿589

15.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.40 Ft 15.1K

$42.15 ฿1,418

12.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.84 Ft 7,259

$6.88 ฿231

231.98%

Cinema Ticket

$7.40 Ft 2,351

$5.92 ฿199

25.00%

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

$328 Ft 104.1K

$309 ฿10.4K

6.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,452 Ft 1.1M

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-76.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 Ft 17.9K

$55.8 ฿1,876

0.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.77 Ft 8,825

$26.11 ฿879

6.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.5 Ft 20.2K

$83.0 ฿2,793

-23.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.1 Ft 21.7K

$70.5 ฿2,371

-3.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 Ft 141.4K

$432 ฿14.5K

2.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 Ft 108.7K

$239 ฿8,040

43.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$625 Ft 198.5K

$822 ฿27.7K

-24.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$527 Ft 167.4K

$512 ฿17.2K

2.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,222 Ft 1.0M

$1,915 ฿64.4K

68.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,017 Ft 1.3M

$1,467 ฿49.4K

173.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,569 Ft 498.7K

$579 ฿19.5K

170.88%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $445 in Szentendre 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 171% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $225 in Szentendre vs $243 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 29% 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 $1,666 per month in Szentendre and $1,292 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 $328 per month in Szentendre and $309 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 8% 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 $861, than in Szentendre at $1,111. 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 $861 versus $1,111 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.