Cost of Living Comparison Between Bielsko-biala and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Bielsko-biala and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,536 in Bielsko-biala versus $947 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,232 in Bielsko-biala versus $1,411 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,927 in Bielsko-biala versus $1,874 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bielsko-biala is roughly 62% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bielsko-biala is 12% above, Chiang Mai is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.02 zł 37.23

$2.08 ฿68.6

381.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.16 zł 179

$19.64 ฿646

145.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 zł 34.51

$5.65 ฿186

64.42%

Cappuccino

$3.83 zł 14.25

$1.81 ฿59.4

111.60%

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

$2.23 zł 8.28

$0.71 ฿23.45

214.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 zł 5.18

$0.32 ฿10.38

334.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.11 zł 15.26

$2.24 ฿73.6

83.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 zł 15.30

$3.63 ฿119

13.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 zł 3.84

$1.96 ฿64.4

-47.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 zł 4.33

$1.50 ฿49.39

-22.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 zł 5.36

$1.34 ฿43.93

7.46%

Eggs

$3.01 zł 11.18

$2.26 ฿74.5

33.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.68 zł 32.24

$16.26 ฿535

-46.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.89 zł 21.89

$2.95 ฿97.1

99.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.40 zł 38.64

$9.94 ฿327

4.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 zł 4.42

$2.57 ฿84.6

-53.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 zł 6.60

$1.06 ฿34.73

67.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 zł 8.70

$1.61 ฿53.0

45.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 zł 7.42

$1.52 ฿49.97

31.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 zł 3.27

$1.27 ฿41.77

-30.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 zł 3.12

$1.07 ฿35.06

-21.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 zł 3.90

$0.72 ฿23.68

45.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 zł 2.32

$0.51 ฿16.72

23.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.17 zł 19.20

$4.19 ฿138

23.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.88 zł 25.57

$17.87 ฿587

-61.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 zł 4.35

$1.69 ฿55.7

-30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 zł 6.52

$2.84 ฿93.3

-38.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 zł 4.88

$0.93 ฿30.43

40.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.31 zł 142

$53.9 ฿1,771

-28.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 zł 6.05

$1.23 ฿40.59

32.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 zł 2.26

$0.58 ฿18.96

5.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.55 zł 35.47

$2.42 ฿79.7

294.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 zł 6.00

$1.41 ฿46.43

14.89%

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

$32.0K zł 119.0K

$21.4K ฿705.1K

49.41%

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

$27.2K zł 100.9K

$27.3K ฿898.7K

-0.64%

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

$313 zł 1,161

$63.7 ฿2,093

390.89%

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

$8.92 zł 33.13

$12.85 ฿423

-30.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 zł 66.9

$20.22 ฿665

-10.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.69 zł 162

$38.74 ฿1,274

12.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.98 zł 175

$3.97 ฿130

1083.38%

Cinema Ticket

$7.56 zł 28.07

$6.74 ฿222

12.17%

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

$303 zł 1,125

$778 ฿25.6K

-61.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,665 zł 9,902

$14.6K ฿480.4K

-81.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.5 zł 288

$54.3 ฿1,785

42.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.30 zł 157

$25.45 ฿837

66.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 zł 345

$94.3 ฿3,102

-1.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 zł 379

$73.4 ฿2,415

38.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$629 zł 2,337

$490 ฿16.1K

28.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 zł 1,978

$289 ฿9,512

84.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 zł 3,885

$894 ฿29.4K

17.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$908 zł 3,372

$517 ฿17.0K

75.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,571 zł 9,550

$1,955 ฿64.3K

31.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,061 zł 7,655

$1,477 ฿48.6K

39.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,461 zł 5,429

$602 ฿19.8K

142.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.87

5.57

23.34%

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

Last update for Bielsko-biala: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $629 in Bielsko-biala and $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bielsko-biala pays 143% 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: $48.00 in Bielsko-biala vs $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $202 vs $240, with Bielsko-biala 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

Bielsko-biala vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bielsko-biala and Chiang Mai differ by about 62% in total monthly costs ($1,536 vs $947 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 143% higher in Bielsko-biala, 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: $629 in Bielsko-biala versus $490 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 41% less than in Bielsko-biala. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $303 in Bielsko-biala versus $778 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $947 in Chiang Mai versus $1,536 in Bielsko-biala, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Bielsko-biala. 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, Bielsko-biala 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 62% less than in Bielsko-biala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.