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: $1,437 in Bielsko-biala versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,149 in Bielsko-biala versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,861 in Bielsko-biala versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bielsko-biala is roughly 67% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bielsko-biala is 8% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.97 zł 37.82

$1.96 ฿65.8

408.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.78 zł 178

$18.35 ฿617

154.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 zł 30.80

$7.48 ฿252

8.56%

Cappuccino

$3.57 zł 13.56

$2.02 ฿67.8

76.73%

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

$0.97 zł 3.68

$0.85 ฿28.50

14.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 zł 4.55

$0.36 ฿11.96

233.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 zł 12.61

$2.14 ฿71.8

55.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 zł 13.52

$3.59 ฿121

-0.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 zł 3.91

$1.65 ฿55.5

-37.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 zł 4.71

$1.57 ฿52.7

-21.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 zł 4.59

$1.19 ฿40.02

1.68%

Eggs

$3.02 zł 11.47

$1.94 ฿65.1

55.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.75 zł 33.19

$16.19 ฿544

-45.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.97 zł 26.45

$2.99 ฿101

133.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 zł 41.17

$10.94 ฿368

-0.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 zł 4.38

$2.71 ฿91.2

-57.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 zł 6.81

$1.17 ฿39.25

52.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 zł 7.61

$1.69 ฿56.7

18.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.69 zł 10.21

$1.60 ฿54.0

68.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 zł 3.41

$1.38 ฿46.54

-34.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 zł 3.17

$1.20 ฿40.45

-30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 zł 4.02

$0.67 ฿22.50

58.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 zł 2.26

$0.56 ฿18.73

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.62 zł 17.53

$4.64 ฿156

-0.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.73 zł 25.55

$17.62 ฿593

-61.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 zł 4.55

$1.86 ฿62.5

-35.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 zł 7.15

$3.30 ฿111

-43.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 zł 4.32

$0.88 ฿29.68

29.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.81 zł 113

$19.34 ฿650

54.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 zł 5.82

$1.36 ฿45.90

13.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 zł 1.94

$1.34 ฿44.98

-61.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.15 zł 38.50

$8.21 ฿276

23.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 zł 6.63

$1.22 ฿41.18

43.44%

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

$33.9K zł 128.7K

$21.4K ฿718.1K

58.87%

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

$29.8K zł 113.0K

$22.5K ฿757.7K

32.18%

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

$331 zł 1,256

$70.7 ฿2,376

368.26%

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

$8.38 zł 31.80

$14.04 ฿472

-40.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.13 zł 65.0

$17.49 ฿588

-2.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.84 zł 117

$42.15 ฿1,417

-26.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.07 zł 61.0

$6.88 ฿231

133.58%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 zł 25.46

$5.92 ฿199

13.34%

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

$276 zł 1,049

$309 ฿10.4K

-10.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,594 zł 9,842

$14.9K ฿500.4K

-82.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.6 zł 355

$55.8 ฿1,875

67.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.90 zł 117

$26.11 ฿878

18.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.6 zł 283

$83.0 ฿2,792

-10.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 zł 367

$70.5 ฿2,369

37.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$702 zł 2,665

$432 ฿14.5K

62.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$485 zł 1,840

$239 ฿8,035

102.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,216 zł 8,407

$822 ฿27.7K

169.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$945 zł 3,587

$512 ฿17.2K

84.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,408 zł 9,136

$1,915 ฿64.4K

25.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,058 zł 7,809

$1,467 ฿49.3K

40.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,386 zł 5,260

$579 ฿19.5K

139.26%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $702 in Bielsko-biala and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bielsko-biala pays 139% 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: $47.00 in Bielsko-biala vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries flip the comparison at $210 vs $243, 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 67% in total monthly costs ($1,437 vs $861 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 139% 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: $702 in Bielsko-biala versus $432 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 54% less than in Bielsko-biala. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $276 in Bielsko-biala versus $309 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,437 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 67% less than in Bielsko-biala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.