😐A single person spends $923 per month in Szolnok vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,393 per month in Szolnok vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,862 per month in Szolnok vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
😐Szolnok costs about 8% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Szolnok and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Szolnok31% lower, Chiang Mai36% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Szolnok
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.73Ft 2,435
$2.04฿68.2
278.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.96Ft 12.6K
$18.71฿624
113.58%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.94Ft 2,500
$7.86฿262
1.02%
Cappuccino
$1.95Ft 613
$2.03฿67.7
-3.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40Ft 441
$0.80฿26.64
75.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.14Ft 358
$0.35฿11.68
225.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.92Ft 604
$2.14฿71.5
-10.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33Ft 736
$3.67฿122
-36.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Szolnok
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.78Ft 247
$1.73฿57.6
-54.91%
White Bread(500g)
$1.10Ft 346
$1.57฿52.4
-29.94%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61Ft 506
$1.20฿39.99
34.17%
Eggs
$2.21Ft 695
$1.97฿65.8
12.18%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.27Ft 1,975
$16.23฿541
-61.37%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.29Ft 1,667
$3.06฿102
72.88%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.87Ft 3,424
$10.80฿360
0.65%
Apples(1kg)
$1.19Ft 374
$2.77฿92.3
-57.04%
Banana(1kg)
$1.51Ft 475
$1.17฿38.94
29.06%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.33Ft 419
$1.71฿57.0
-22.22%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.09Ft 658
$1.59฿53.2
31.45%
Potato(1kg)
$0.94Ft 295
$1.39฿46.51
-32.37%
Onion(1kg)
$0.91Ft 287
$1.16฿38.56
-21.55%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.00Ft 314
$0.66฿22.05
51.52%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.32Ft 99.8
$0.52฿17.31
-38.46%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.39Ft 2,013
$4.65฿155
37.42%
Wine(Bottle)
$3.82Ft 1,203
$17.78฿593
-78.52%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.76Ft 238
$1.79฿59.6
-57.54%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09Ft 343
$3.34฿111
-67.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Szolnok
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.01Ft 317
$0.91฿30.27
10.99%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$24.23Ft 7,634
$18.64฿622
29.99%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.53Ft 799
$1.41฿47.04
79.43%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.16Ft 364
$1.34฿44.70
-13.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.88Ft 4,374
$8.11฿270
71.15%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.68Ft 530
$1.23฿41.16
36.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9KFt 5.6M
$21.4K฿715.1K
-16.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5KFt 10.9M
$21.8K฿728.0K
58.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Szolnok
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$104Ft 32.7K
$71.3฿2,379
45.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.01Ft 7,563
$14.01฿467
71.38%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.19Ft 5,417
$17.93฿598
-4.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Szolnok
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.6Ft 16.6K
$40.82฿1,362
28.86%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.41Ft 2,648
$6.88฿230
22.24%
Cinema Ticket
$7.27Ft 2,291
$5.72฿191
27.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Szolnok
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$143Ft 44.9K
$308฿10.3K
-53.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,470Ft 1.1M
$14.7K฿489.7K
-76.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Szolnok
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.5Ft 17.2K
$55.8฿1,860
-2.28%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.10Ft 8,537
$26.04฿869
4.07%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$64.5Ft 20.3K
$84.8฿2,829
-23.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$68.1Ft 21.4K
$71.0฿2,368
-4.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Szolnok
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$323Ft 101.6K
$423฿14.1K
-23.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$275Ft 86.6K
$242฿8,088
13.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$486Ft 153.3K
$797฿26.6K
-38.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$389Ft 122.6K
$507฿16.9K
-23.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,070Ft 652.3K
$1,918฿64.0K
7.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,694Ft 533.9K
$1,464฿48.8K
15.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Szolnok
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,077Ft 339.2K
$595฿19.9K
80.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.26
5
105.20%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Szolnok: July 27, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $323 in Szolnok versus $423 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 81% higher in Szolnok, 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 $40.00 in Szolnok versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $169 in Szolnok vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Szolnok 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
Szolnok vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Szolnok or Chiang Mai?
Szolnok costs about 8% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 Szolnok and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,384 per month in Szolnok and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Szolnok 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 Szolnok and in Chiang Mai?
Kindergarten costs $143 per month in Szolnok and $308 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 Szolnok or in Chiang Mai?
Interestingly, groceries are about 45% cheaper in Szolnok – 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 Szolnok or in Chiang Mai?
$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $923 in Szolnok and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Szolnok or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $923 in Szolnok. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Szolnok 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 Szolnok or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Szolnok makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.