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 $1,137 per month in Zalaegerszeg vs $920 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,697 per month in Zalaegerszeg vs $1,408 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,256 per month in Zalaegerszeg vs $1,895 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Zalaegerszeg costs about 24% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zalaegerszeg and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Zalaegerszeg 17% lower, Chiang Mai 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.45 Ft 4,506

$2.11 ฿69.1

584.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.1 Ft 19.7K

$19.75 ฿648

219.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.38 Ft 2,924

$5.85 ฿192

60.34%

Cappuccino

$2.95 Ft 919

$1.76 ฿57.8

67.61%

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

$2.03 Ft 633

$0.74 ฿24.37

174.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 Ft 409

$0.33 ฿10.90

296.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 Ft 663

$2.47 ฿81.0

-13.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 Ft 680

$3.88 ฿127

-43.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 Ft 394

$1.90 ฿62.4

-33.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 Ft 461

$1.67 ฿54.7

-11.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 Ft 790

$1.35 ฿44.24

87.41%

Eggs

$3.54 Ft 1,103

$2.14 ฿70.2

65.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.48 Ft 3,891

$15.89 ฿521

-21.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.30 Ft 1,963

$2.83 ฿92.9

122.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 Ft 4,070

$10.53 ฿345

23.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 Ft 599

$2.38 ฿78.2

-19.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 Ft 685

$1.07 ฿35.01

105.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 Ft 659

$1.52 ฿49.79

39.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.78 Ft 1,177

$1.50 ฿49.30

152.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 Ft 323

$1.28 ฿41.96

-19.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 Ft 359

$1.10 ฿36.17

4.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 Ft 450

$0.69 ฿22.54

108.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 Ft 190

$0.49 ฿16.18

24.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.39 Ft 2,616

$4.27 ฿140

96.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.25 Ft 1,950

$16.78 ฿550

-62.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 Ft 354

$1.66 ฿54.4

-31.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 Ft 689

$2.81 ฿92.3

-21.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 Ft 373

$0.90 ฿29.44

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.26 Ft 6,006

$54.9 ฿1,801

-64.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 Ft 1,113

$1.20 ฿39.24

197.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 Ft 405

$0.54 ฿17.78

140.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.30 Ft 6,640

$2.37 ฿77.9

798.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 Ft 607

$1.43 ฿46.88

36.36%

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

$30.0K Ft 9.4M

$21.1K ฿691.5K

42.34%

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

$35.4K Ft 11.0M

$27.1K ฿890.2K

30.33%

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

$151 Ft 47.1K

$64.7 ฿2,124

133.55%

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

$25.13 Ft 7,835

$13.19 ฿433

90.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.89 Ft 7,760

$19.44 ฿638

28.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.97 Ft 12.8K

$39.45 ฿1,294

3.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.81 Ft 12.1K

$3.77 ฿124

929.44%

Cinema Ticket

$7.59 Ft 2,366

$6.62 ฿217

14.65%

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

$222 Ft 69.2K

$805 ฿26.4K

-72.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K Ft 5.4M

$15.1K ฿496.1K

13.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.30 Ft 10.1K

$54.8 ฿1,796

-41.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.51 Ft 7,954

$25.43 ฿834

0.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.7 Ft 16.4K

$91.9 ฿3,015

-42.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.0 Ft 17.8K

$74.7 ฿2,449

-23.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 Ft 110.4K

$467 ฿15.3K

-24.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 Ft 92.5K

$282 ฿9,251

5.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 Ft 148.2K

$891 ฿29.2K

-46.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 Ft 97.8K

$521 ฿17.1K

-39.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,940 Ft 604.7K

$1,985 ฿65.1K

-2.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,614 Ft 503.2K

$1,462 ฿48.0K

10.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$802 Ft 250.1K

$592 ฿19.4K

35.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.74

5.57

21.01%

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

Last update for Zalaegerszeg: August 17, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $354 in Zalaegerszeg versus $467 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 35% 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 $63.0 in Zalaegerszeg versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $237 – 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

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

Zalaegerszeg costs about 24% 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 $1,706 per month in Zalaegerszeg and $1,380 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 $222 per month in Zalaegerszeg and $805 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Zalaegerszeg, 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 $920, than in Zalaegerszeg at $1,137. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Zalaegerszeg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $920 versus $1,137 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.