Cost of Living Comparison Between Biala Podlaska and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Biala Podlaska and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,329 in Biala Podlaska versus $852 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,905 in Biala Podlaska versus $1,360 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,480 in Biala Podlaska versus $1,867 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Biala Podlaska is roughly 56% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Biala Podlaska is 0% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.06 zł 30.06

$2.04 ฿68.2

295.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.08 zł 82.4

$18.71 ฿624

18.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 zł 30.91

$7.86 ฿262

5.47%

Cappuccino

$3.58 zł 13.34

$2.03 ฿67.7

76.35%

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

$1.91 zł 7.12

$0.80 ฿26.64

138.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 zł 6.26

$0.35 ฿11.68

380.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.20 zł 11.94

$2.14 ฿71.5

49.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 zł 15.39

$3.67 ฿122

12.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 zł 3.88

$1.73 ฿57.6

-39.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 zł 4.46

$1.57 ฿52.4

-23.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 zł 4.44

$1.20 ฿39.99

-0.83%

Eggs

$3.01 zł 11.23

$1.97 ฿65.8

52.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 zł 32.23

$16.23 ฿541

-46.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.00 zł 26.12

$3.06 ฿102

128.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.95 zł 40.86

$10.80 ฿360

1.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 zł 4.29

$2.77 ฿92.3

-58.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 zł 6.62

$1.17 ฿38.94

52.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 zł 7.06

$1.71 ฿57.0

10.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.81 zł 10.49

$1.59 ฿53.2

76.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 zł 3.34

$1.39 ฿46.51

-35.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 zł 4.60

$1.16 ฿38.56

6.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 zł 4.48

$0.66 ฿22.05

81.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 zł 2.02

$0.52 ฿17.31

3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.14 zł 19.17

$4.65 ฿155

10.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.87 zł 25.62

$17.78 ฿593

-61.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 zł 4.68

$1.79 ฿59.6

-29.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 zł 7.17

$3.34 ฿111

-42.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 zł 3.95

$0.91 ฿30.27

16.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.03 zł 123

$18.64 ฿622

77.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 zł 8.26

$1.41 ฿47.04

56.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 zł 3.64

$1.34 ฿44.70

-26.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.22 zł 34.38

$8.11 ฿270

13.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 zł 6.37

$1.23 ฿41.16

39.02%

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

$33.9K zł 126.5K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

58.18%

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

$29.0K zł 108.1K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

32.75%

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

$206 zł 768

$71.3 ฿2,379

188.55%

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

$8.48 zł 31.62

$14.01 ฿467

-39.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.55 zł 50.5

$17.93 ฿598

-24.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.57 zł 136

$40.82 ฿1,362

-10.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.21 zł 71.7

$6.88 ฿230

179.22%

Cinema Ticket

$5.40 zł 20.16

$5.72 ฿191

-5.59%

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

$338 zł 1,261

$308 ฿10.3K

9.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,621 zł 35.9K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-34.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.7 zł 338

$55.8 ฿1,860

62.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.05 zł 116

$26.04 ฿869

19.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.1 zł 288

$84.8 ฿2,829

-9.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.2 zł 359

$71.0 ฿2,368

35.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$637 zł 2,375

$423 ฿14.1K

50.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 zł 1,861

$242 ฿8,088

105.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$964 zł 3,597

$797 ฿26.6K

20.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 zł 3,085

$507 ฿16.9K

63.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,995 zł 11.2K

$1,918 ฿64.0K

56.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,286 zł 8,527

$1,464 ฿48.8K

56.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,051 zł 3,922

$595 ฿19.9K

76.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

35.60%

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

Last update for Biala Podlaska: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $637 in Biala Podlaska and $423 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Biala Podlaska pays 77% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $22.00 in Biala Podlaska vs $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $211 vs $244, with Biala Podlaska cheaper for home cooking.

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

Biala Podlaska vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Biala Podlaska and Chiang Mai differ by about 56% in total monthly costs ($1,329 vs $852 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 77% higher in Biala Podlaska, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $637 in Biala Podlaska versus $423 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $338 in Biala Podlaska versus $308 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Biala Podlaska pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,329 in Biala Podlaska, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Biala Podlaska. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Biala Podlaska and Chiang Mai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chiang Mai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Biala Podlaska. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.