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: $1,433 in Bielsko-biala versus $866 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,149 in Bielsko-biala versus $1,351 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,865 in Bielsko-biala versus $1,835 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bielsko-biala is roughly 65% more expensive than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bielsko-biala is 7% above, Chiang Mai is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.13 zł 36.91

$1.94 ฿63.5

422.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.70 zł 174

$18.64 ฿609

155.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.19 zł 29.84

$7.82 ฿255

4.73%

Cappuccino

$3.55 zł 12.93

$1.95 ฿63.8

82.05%

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

$0.93 zł 3.38

$0.85 ฿27.77

9.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 zł 4.34

$0.35 ฿11.58

240.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 zł 12.02

$2.13 ฿69.6

54.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 zł 12.95

$3.73 ฿122

-4.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 zł 3.78

$1.71 ฿56.0

-39.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 zł 4.50

$1.63 ฿53.2

-23.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 zł 4.42

$1.14 ฿37.15

6.14%

Eggs

$3.06 zł 11.16

$1.93 ฿63.1

58.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.53 zł 31.09

$16.21 ฿530

-47.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.88 zł 25.09

$3.12 ฿102

120.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.61 zł 38.68

$10.90 ฿356

-2.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 zł 4.22

$2.75 ฿90.0

-57.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 zł 6.26

$1.21 ฿39.52

42.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 zł 7.01

$1.62 ฿53.0

18.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.70 zł 9.83

$1.59 ฿51.8

69.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 zł 3.31

$1.40 ฿45.70

-35.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 zł 2.82

$1.17 ฿38.17

-34.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 zł 3.91

$0.66 ฿21.60

62.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 zł 1.99

$0.53 ฿17.22

1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.66 zł 17.00

$4.69 ฿153

-0.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.98 zł 25.45

$18.66 ฿609

-62.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 zł 4.41

$1.80 ฿58.8

-32.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 zł 6.78

$3.23 ฿106

-42.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 zł 4.13

$0.90 ฿29.26

25.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.80 zł 109

$19.21 ฿628

55.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 zł 5.53

$1.41 ฿45.91

7.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 zł 1.88

$1.29 ฿42.12

-59.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.27 zł 37.44

$7.84 ฿256

30.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 zł 6.18

$1.27 ฿41.58

33.07%

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

$34.0K zł 123.8K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

59.57%

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

$29.7K zł 108.2K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

33.63%

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

$326 zł 1,189

$69.1 ฿2,256

372.23%

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

$8.30 zł 30.27

$14.08 ฿460

-41.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.77 zł 61.2

$18.00 ฿588

-6.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.66 zł 112

$41.06 ฿1,341

-25.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.11 zł 58.7

$6.96 ฿227

131.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 zł 24.57

$5.92 ฿193

13.85%

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

$275 zł 1,003

$299 ฿9,766

-7.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,600 zł 9,478

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-82.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.7 zł 338

$54.7 ฿1,787

69.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.46 zł 115

$26.77 ฿874

17.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 zł 281

$85.0 ฿2,776

-9.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 zł 346

$70.6 ฿2,306

34.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 zł 2,650

$428 ฿14.0K

69.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$496 zł 1,808

$237 ฿7,752

109.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,255 zł 8,222

$801 ฿26.2K

181.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$932 zł 3,396

$515 ฿16.8K

80.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,432 zł 8,865

$1,975 ฿64.5K

23.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,070 zł 7,547

$1,475 ฿48.2K

40.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,447 zł 5,275

$617 ฿20.2K

134.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.3

26.00%

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

Last update for Bielsko-biala: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $727 in Bielsko-biala and $428 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bielsko-biala pays 134% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $208 vs $246, 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 65% in total monthly costs ($1,433 vs $866 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bielsko-biala pays 134% more on average, 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: $727 in Bielsko-biala versus $428 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 55% less than in Bielsko-biala. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $275 in Bielsko-biala versus $299 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $866 in Chiang Mai versus $1,433 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 65% less than in Bielsko-biala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.