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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,489 in Bydgoszcz versus $861 in Chiang Mai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,280 in Bydgoszcz versus $1,350 in Chiang Mai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,071 in Bydgoszcz versus $1,838 in Chiang Mai.

Living in Bydgoszcz is roughly 73% more expensive than in Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bydgoszcz is 11% above, Chiang Mai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.35 zł 43.02

$1.96 ฿65.7

479.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 zł 256

$18.35 ฿616

267.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 zł 30.08

$7.48 ฿251

6.15%

Cappuccino

$3.97 zł 15.07

$2.02 ฿67.7

96.53%

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

$2.30 zł 8.73

$0.85 ฿28.45

170.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 zł 6.92

$0.36 ฿11.94

405.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.97 zł 15.03

$2.14 ฿71.7

85.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 zł 14.09

$3.59 ฿121

3.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 zł 3.88

$1.65 ฿55.4

-38.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 zł 5.92

$1.57 ฿52.6

-0.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 zł 6.42

$1.19 ฿39.95

42.02%

Eggs

$3.49 zł 13.23

$1.94 ฿65.0

79.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 zł 38.61

$16.19 ฿544

-37.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.12 zł 27.00

$2.99 ฿100

138.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.49 zł 54.9

$10.94 ฿367

32.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 zł 4.94

$2.71 ฿91.0

-52.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 zł 6.32

$1.17 ฿39.18

42.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 zł 6.26

$1.69 ฿56.6

-2.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 zł 16.10

$1.60 ฿53.9

165.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 zł 3.46

$1.38 ฿46.45

-34.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 zł 4.55

$1.20 ฿40.38

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 zł 4.68

$0.67 ฿22.46

85.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 zł 2.49

$0.56 ฿18.70

17.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.08 zł 19.24

$4.64 ฿156

9.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.59 zł 32.54

$17.62 ฿591

-51.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 zł 4.30

$1.86 ฿62.4

-39.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 zł 6.19

$3.30 ฿111

-50.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 zł 3.99

$0.88 ฿29.63

19.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.83 zł 109

$19.34 ฿649

49.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.20 zł 8.35

$1.36 ฿45.82

61.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 zł 2.75

$1.34 ฿44.90

-45.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.65 zł 40.35

$8.21 ฿276

29.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 zł 6.43

$1.22 ฿41.11

39.34%

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

$33.8K zł 128.2K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

58.46%

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

$31.3K zł 118.5K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

38.72%

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

$234 zł 888

$70.7 ฿2,372

231.43%

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

$8.89 zł 33.70

$14.04 ฿471

-36.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.05 zł 64.6

$17.49 ฿587

-2.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.23 zł 141

$42.15 ฿1,415

-11.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.42 zł 77.4

$6.88 ฿231

196.80%

Cinema Ticket

$7.57 zł 28.69

$5.92 ฿199

27.87%

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

$451 zł 1,709

$309 ฿10.4K

46.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,478 zł 20.8K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-63.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.1 zł 375

$55.8 ฿1,872

77.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.94 zł 140

$26.11 ฿877

41.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 zł 421

$83.0 ฿2,787

33.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 zł 488

$70.5 ฿2,365

82.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$722 zł 2,737

$432 ฿14.5K

67.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$506 zł 1,919

$239 ฿8,020

111.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,217 zł 4,615

$822 ฿27.6K

48.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$905 zł 3,430

$512 ฿17.2K

76.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,936 zł 11.1K

$1,915 ฿64.3K

53.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,189 zł 8,296

$1,467 ฿49.3K

49.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,519 zł 5,758

$579 ฿19.4K

162.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

28.00%

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

Last update for Bydgoszcz: July 11, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $722 in Bydgoszcz and $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bydgoszcz pays 162% 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: $67.0 in Bydgoszcz vs $18.00 in Chiang Mai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $245 vs $243 per month, with Chiang Mai cheaper across the board.

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

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

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 73% lower than in Bydgoszcz. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 162% higher in Bydgoszcz, 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: $722 in Bydgoszcz versus $432 in Chiang Mai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $451 in Bydgoszcz versus $309 in Chiang Mai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Bydgoszcz. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,489 in Bydgoszcz, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Bydgoszcz. The gap between the two cities makes Chiang Mai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chiang Mai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $861 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chiang Mai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bydgoszcz 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 73% less than in Bydgoszcz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.