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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,258 per month in Szombathely vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,005 per month in Szombathely vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,753 per month in Szombathely vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Szombathely costs about 35% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Szombathely and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Szombathely 8% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.59 Ft 3,980

$2.08 ฿69.1

505.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.0 Ft 17.7K

$19.61 ฿651

185.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.98 Ft 2,839

$5.67 ฿188

58.38%

Cappuccino

$2.47 Ft 780

$1.81 ฿59.9

36.46%

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

$1.40 Ft 441

$0.77 ฿25.51

81.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 Ft 422

$0.35 ฿11.46

280.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 Ft 586

$2.21 ฿73.5

-16.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 Ft 764

$3.79 ฿126

-36.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 Ft 390

$2.05 ฿68.0

-40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 Ft 540

$1.51 ฿50.3

13.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 Ft 774

$1.40 ฿46.44

75.00%

Eggs

$3.43 Ft 1,084

$2.26 ฿75.0

51.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.60 Ft 3,352

$16.19 ฿538

-34.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.99 Ft 2,211

$2.90 ฿96.2

141.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.95 Ft 5,359

$9.42 ฿313

79.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 Ft 731

$2.68 ฿88.9

-13.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 Ft 675

$1.09 ฿36.18

95.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 Ft 811

$1.62 ฿53.7

58.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.44 Ft 1,086

$1.46 ฿48.48

135.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 Ft 369

$1.28 ฿42.42

-8.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 Ft 454

$1.06 ฿35.12

35.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 Ft 601

$0.72 ฿23.81

163.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 Ft 192

$0.53 ฿17.46

15.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.56 Ft 2,708

$4.23 ฿140

102.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.73 Ft 1,495

$18.29 ฿607

-74.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 Ft 417

$1.63 ฿54.1

-19.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 Ft 841

$2.90 ฿96.3

-8.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 Ft 273

$0.88 ฿29.16

-2.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.69 Ft 8,755

$53.8 ฿1,785

-48.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 Ft 901

$1.17 ฿38.93

143.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 Ft 443

$0.58 ฿19.20

141.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.55 Ft 7,762

$2.39 ฿79.2

927.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 Ft 598

$1.45 ฿48.15

30.34%

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

$29.8K Ft 9.4M

$21.0K ฿697.6K

41.70%

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

$33.9K Ft 10.7M

$26.4K ฿877.3K

28.29%

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

$173 Ft 54.6K

$63.7 ฿2,113

171.55%

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

$21.19 Ft 6,700

$12.89 ฿428

64.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 Ft 6,730

$20.52 ฿681

3.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.16 Ft 15.5K

$39.02 ฿1,295

25.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.03 Ft 6,332

$3.92 ฿130

410.97%

Cinema Ticket

$4.63 Ft 1,464

$6.58 ฿218

-29.64%

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

$437 Ft 138.1K

$784 ฿26.0K

-44.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,042 Ft 2.5M

$14.7K ฿487.1K

-45.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 Ft 33.0K

$55.1 ฿1,830

89.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 Ft 16.9K

$24.74 ฿821

116.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 Ft 31.3K

$94.1 ฿3,125

5.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 Ft 36.7K

$74.0 ฿2,455

57.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$543 Ft 171.8K

$490 ฿16.3K

10.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 Ft 111.7K

$288 ฿9,568

22.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$769 Ft 243.3K

$891 ฿29.6K

-13.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$681 Ft 215.2K

$521 ฿17.3K

30.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,489 Ft 786.9K

$1,974 ฿65.5K

26.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,030 Ft 641.9K

$1,444 ฿48.0K

40.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,186 Ft 375.0K

$602 ฿20.0K

97.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

5.57

34.65%

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

Last update for Szombathely: September 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $543 in Szombathely 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 97% higher in Szombathely, 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 Szombathely versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $265 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

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

Szombathely costs about 35% 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 $1,887 per month in Szombathely and $1,398 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 $437 per month in Szombathely and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Szombathely, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Szombathely at $1,258. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Szombathely it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,258 in Szombathely. 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, Szombathely makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.