Cost of Living · TH vs HU
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai vs 🇭🇺 Budapest: what everyday life costs
Monthly essentials: $706 in Thailand vs $1,074 in Hungary — 52.15% more expensive.
Biggest differences
Much cheaper in Hungary
- ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L: 14.06%
- 👟 Running shoes (brand): 14.9%
- 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand): 14.92%
Closest to Thailand prices
- 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center: +62.63%
- 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center: +62.63%
- 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center: +62.63%
The full basket (32 items)
| Item | Thailand | Hungary | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center | $428 | $697 (246,064 HUF) | +62.63% |
| 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center | $343 | $557 (196,851 HUF) | +62.63% |
| 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center | $783 | $1,274 (449,943 HUF) | +62.63% |
| Food out | |||
| 🍜 Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $5.96 | $8.73 (3,083 HUF) | +46.48% |
| 🍽️ Dinner for two, mid-range | $24.83 | $36.38 (12,847 HUF) | +46.52% |
| 🍔 Fast-food combo meal | $4.03 | $5.70 (2,013 HUF) | +41.44% |
| Groceries | |||
| 🥛 Milk, 1L | $0.49 | $0.65 (230 HUF) | +32.65% |
| 🍞 Bread, fresh loaf 500g | $1.43 | $1.89 (667 HUF) | +32.17% |
| 🥚 Eggs, dozen | $1.52 | $2.01 (710 HUF) | +32.24% |
| 🍗 Chicken breast, 1kg | $4.47 | $5.91 (2,087 HUF) | +32.21% |
| 🍚 White rice, 1kg | $1.79 | $2.36 (833 HUF) | +31.84% |
| 🍎 Apples, 1kg | $2.15 | $2.84 (1,003 HUF) | +32.09% |
| 🧀 Local cheese, 1kg | $5.37 | $7.09 (2,504 HUF) | +32.03% |
| 💧 Water, 1.5L bottle | $0.89 | $1.18 (417 HUF) | +32.58% |
| Drinks | |||
| 🍺 Domestic beer, pint (draught) | $1.99 | $2.91 (1,028 HUF) | +46.23% |
| 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle | $5.35 | $6.15 (2,172 HUF) | +14.95% |
| ☕ Cappuccino | $1.66 | $2.43 (858 HUF) | +46.39% |
| 🥤 Coke/Pepsi, 330ml | $1.03 | $1.36 (480 HUF) | +32.04% |
| Transport | |||
| 🚇 Public transport, monthly pass | $23.79 | $33.67 (11,890 HUF) | +41.53% |
| 🎫 Public transport, one-way | $1.01 | $1.42 (501 HUF) | +40.59% |
| 🚕 Taxi start (normal tariff) | $1.32 | $1.94 (685 HUF) | +46.97% |
| 🛣️ Taxi, per km | $0.60 | $0.87 (307 HUF) | +45% |
| ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L | $0.64 | $0.73 (258 HUF) | +14.06% |
| Utilities & comms | |||
| 💡 Basic utilities, 85m² apartment | $73.20 | $104 (36,585 HUF) | +41.53% |
| 🌐 Internet, 60Mbps+ unlimited | $25.62 | $36.26 (12,805 HUF) | +41.53% |
| 📱 Mobile plan, 10GB+ data | $16.47 | $23.31 (8,232 HUF) | +41.53% |
| Lifestyle | |||
| 🏋️ Gym membership, month | $16.55 | $24.25 (8,564 HUF) | +46.53% |
| 🎬 Cinema seat | $4.63 | $6.79 (2,398 HUF) | +46.65% |
| 💈 Men's haircut | $9.93 | $14.55 (5,138 HUF) | +46.53% |
| 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand) | $36.79 | $42.28 (14,931 HUF) | +14.92% |
| 👟 Running shoes (brand) | $60.21 | $69.18 (24,430 HUF) | +14.9% |
| 💻 Coworking hot desk, month | $82.75 | $121 (42,822 HUF) | +46.54% |
Estimated from World Bank — Consumption price levels with per-item elasticity — model figures, not quotes. Compare any pair in the interactive tool.
Related
Frequently asked questions
- How much more expensive is Hungary than Thailand?
- A single person's monthly essentials run about $1,074 in Hungary versus $706 in Thailand — 52.15% more. Rents differ the most; world-priced goods like petrol and electronics the least.
- What does a beer cost in Hungary?
- A domestic draught pint is roughly $2.91 in Hungary (≈ 1027.64 HUF), versus about $1.99 in Thailand.
- How much is rent in Hungary compared to Thailand?
- A 1-bedroom city-center apartment is estimated at $697/month in Hungary versus $428/month in Thailand (+62.63%). Housing is the most locally-priced item in the basket.
- How are these prices estimated?
- Curated US baseline prices scaled by each country's purchasing-power price level with per-item elasticities (housing 1.4, services 1.1, groceries 0.8, world-priced goods 0.4) — model estimates for orientation, not quotes.