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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $993 per month in Zalaegerszeg vs $869 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,463 per month in Zalaegerszeg vs $1,362 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,934 per month in Zalaegerszeg vs $1,855 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Zalaegerszeg costs about 14% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zalaegerszeg and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Zalaegerszeg 26% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.42 Ft 3,455

$1.98 ฿64.3

476.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.8 Ft 17.5K

$18.80 ฿612

207.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.50 Ft 2,571

$7.75 ฿252

9.68%

Cappuccino

$2.22 Ft 673

$1.92 ฿62.5

15.63%

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

$1.68 Ft 509

$0.79 ฿25.79

112.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 Ft 373

$0.36 ฿11.62

241.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 Ft 551

$2.21 ฿72.1

-17.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 Ft 577

$3.66 ฿119

-47.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 Ft 313

$1.65 ฿53.8

-37.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 Ft 432

$1.63 ฿53.2

-12.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 Ft 650

$1.19 ฿38.86

80.67%

Eggs

$3.13 Ft 946

$2.00 ฿65.1

56.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 Ft 2,936

$15.98 ฿520

-39.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 Ft 1,396

$3.03 ฿98.5

52.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.02 Ft 2,122

$10.86 ฿354

-35.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 Ft 446

$2.76 ฿90.0

-46.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 Ft 575

$1.18 ฿38.42

61.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 Ft 553

$1.64 ฿53.5

11.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.58 Ft 1,085

$1.52 ฿49.51

135.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 Ft 341

$1.38 ฿45.10

-18.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 Ft 382

$1.19 ฿38.84

5.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 Ft 355

$0.70 ฿22.86

67.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Ft 163

$0.56 ฿18.13

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.57 Ft 1,987

$4.58 ฿149

43.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.70 Ft 1,724

$16.56 ฿539

-65.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 Ft 273

$1.83 ฿59.5

-50.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 Ft 443

$3.20 ฿104

-54.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 Ft 312

$0.88 ฿28.56

17.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.18 Ft 5,199

$18.72 ฿610

-8.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 Ft 963

$1.36 ฿44.16

133.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 Ft 319

$1.34 ฿43.65

-20.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.69 Ft 5,654

$7.84 ฿256

138.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 Ft 525

$1.23 ฿39.92

40.65%

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

$25.9K Ft 7.8M

$21.6K ฿704.3K

19.68%

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

$31.6K Ft 9.6M

$22.5K ฿734.3K

40.13%

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

$136 Ft 41.1K

$70.5 ฿2,298

92.57%

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

$26.54 Ft 8,031

$13.68 ฿445

94.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.47 Ft 6,193

$17.45 ฿568

17.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.66 Ft 11.4K

$41.33 ฿1,346

-8.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.97 Ft 10.3K

$6.96 ฿227

388.07%

Cinema Ticket

$7.06 Ft 2,137

$5.77 ฿188

22.36%

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

$201 Ft 60.8K

$307 ฿10.0K

-34.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,382 Ft 1.9M

$14.6K ฿475.9K

-56.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.45 Ft 8,608

$55.8 ฿1,817

-49.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.94 Ft 6,940

$26.21 ฿854

-12.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.75 Ft 14.1K

$85.8 ฿2,793

-45.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.2 Ft 15.8K

$72.2 ฿2,353

-27.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$318 Ft 96.3K

$430 ฿14.0K

-25.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$278 Ft 84.2K

$239 ฿7,774

16.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 Ft 132.1K

$817 ฿26.6K

-46.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 Ft 88.6K

$511 ฿16.6K

-42.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,944 Ft 588.2K

$1,983 ฿64.6K

-1.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,652 Ft 499.7K

$1,484 ฿48.3K

11.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$826 Ft 249.9K

$619 ฿20.2K

33.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

40.00%

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

Last update for Zalaegerszeg: June 6, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $318 in Zalaegerszeg 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 33% higher in Zalaegerszeg, 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 $58.0 in Zalaegerszeg versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $199 in Zalaegerszeg vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Zalaegerszeg 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

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

Zalaegerszeg costs about 14% 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 $1,489 per month in Zalaegerszeg and $1,303 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 $201 per month in Zalaegerszeg and $307 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 21% cheaper in Zalaegerszeg – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $993 in Zalaegerszeg and $869 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $993 in Zalaegerszeg. 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, Zalaegerszeg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.