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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,528 per month in Bialystok vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,178 per month in Bialystok vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,828 per month in Bialystok vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Bialystok costs about 61% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bialystok sits 11% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.20 zł 37.90

$2.08 ฿68.5

390.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.08 zł 179

$19.64 ฿646

144.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.46 zł 35.15

$5.65 ฿186

67.43%

Cappuccino

$3.86 zł 14.35

$1.81 ฿59.3

113.26%

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

$1.90 zł 7.06

$0.71 ฿23.44

167.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 zł 6.10

$0.32 ฿10.38

412.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 zł 13.73

$2.24 ฿73.5

65.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 zł 12.14

$3.63 ฿119

-9.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 zł 4.14

$1.96 ฿64.4

-42.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 zł 4.05

$1.50 ฿49.38

-27.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 zł 8.71

$1.34 ฿43.92

75.37%

Eggs

$3.98 zł 14.79

$2.26 ฿74.4

76.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.46 zł 35.12

$16.26 ฿534

-41.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.11 zł 22.69

$2.95 ฿97.1

107.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.65 zł 43.29

$9.94 ฿327

17.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.32 zł 4.91

$2.57 ฿84.5

-48.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 zł 6.90

$1.06 ฿34.72

75.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 zł 6.43

$1.61 ฿53.0

7.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 zł 7.64

$1.52 ฿49.96

35.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 zł 4.28

$1.27 ฿41.76

-9.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 zł 4.74

$1.07 ฿35.05

19.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 zł 4.59

$0.72 ฿23.67

72.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 zł 2.19

$0.51 ฿16.72

15.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 zł 20.26

$4.19 ฿138

30.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.71 zł 24.94

$17.87 ฿587

-62.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 zł 4.55

$1.69 ฿55.7

-27.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 zł 5.64

$2.84 ฿93.2

-46.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 zł 4.31

$0.93 ฿30.42

24.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.38 zł 131

$53.9 ฿1,770

-34.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.13 zł 7.90

$1.23 ฿40.58

73.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 zł 2.67

$0.58 ฿18.96

24.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.58 zł 50.4

$2.42 ฿79.7

461.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 zł 5.90

$1.41 ฿46.42

12.77%

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

$32.6K zł 121.0K

$21.4K ฿704.9K

51.96%

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

$28.5K zł 105.7K

$27.3K ฿898.5K

4.12%

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

$314 zł 1,165

$63.7 ฿2,093

392.48%

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

$8.66 zł 32.16

$12.85 ฿423

-32.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 zł 69.8

$20.22 ฿665

-7.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.74 zł 159

$38.74 ฿1,274

10.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.07 zł 108

$3.97 ฿130

632.24%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 zł 26.31

$6.74 ฿221

5.04%

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

$376 zł 1,397

$778 ฿25.6K

-51.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,452 zł 16.5K

$14.6K ฿480.2K

-69.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 zł 383

$54.3 ฿1,785

90.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.06 zł 141

$25.45 ฿836

49.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 zł 338

$94.3 ฿3,101

-3.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.6 zł 352

$73.4 ฿2,414

28.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$563 zł 2,092

$490 ฿16.1K

15.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$529 zł 1,966

$289 ฿9,510

82.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$857 zł 3,185

$894 ฿29.4K

-4.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$764 zł 2,836

$517 ฿17.0K

47.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 zł 10.5K

$1,955 ฿64.3K

45.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,386 zł 8,861

$1,477 ฿48.5K

61.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,504 zł 5,585

$602 ฿19.8K

149.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

5.57

26.93%

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

Last update for Bialystok: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $563 in Bialystok 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 150% higher in Bialystok, 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 $48.00 in Bialystok versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $217 in Bialystok vs $240 in Chiang Mai – so Bialystok 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

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

Bialystok costs about 61% 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 $2,292 per month in Bialystok and $1,421 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 $376 per month in Bialystok and $778 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 11% cheaper in Bialystok – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Bialystok at $1,528. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bialystok it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,528 in Bialystok. 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, Bialystok makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.