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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,571 in Augustow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $2,298 in Augustow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $3,025 in Augustow.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 45% less than in Augustow, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 36% below, Augustow is 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$10.83 zł 41.10

-81.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$56.9 zł 216

-67.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$9.54 zł 36.19

-21.59%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$4.20 zł 15.92

-51.90%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$2.07 zł 7.87

-58.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$1.85 zł 7.01

-80.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$4.43 zł 16.80

-51.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$4.52 zł 17.13

-20.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.15 zł 4.38

43.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.42 zł 5.39

10.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.80 zł 6.82

-33.89%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$3.51 zł 13.32

-44.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$10.18 zł 38.64

59.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$7.14 zł 27.10

-58.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$14.07 zł 53.4

-22.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.26 zł 4.77

115.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.85 zł 7.01

-36.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.93 zł 7.33

-12.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$3.64 zł 13.80

-56.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.09 zł 4.12

26.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.19 zł 4.53

0.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.51 zł 5.72

-55.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.69 zł 2.61

-18.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$5.36 zł 20.33

-13.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$7.87 zł 29.87

123.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.37 zł 5.19

35.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.92 zł 7.29

71.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$1.06 zł 4.04

-16.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$32.96 zł 125

-41.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$2.78 zł 10.55

-51.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$1.03 zł 3.90

30.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$13.75 zł 52.2

-40.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.71 zł 6.49

-28.65%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$33.1K zł 125.7K

-35.54%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$32.8K zł 124.6K

-31.39%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$364 zł 1,380

-80.56%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$9.93 zł 37.69

41.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$17.11 zł 64.9

2.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$35.76 zł 136

17.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$19.81 zł 75.2

-65.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$9.24 zł 35.08

-35.93%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$578 zł 2,193

-46.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$15.8K zł 60.1K

-6.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$97.9 zł 371

-43.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$47.77 zł 181

-45.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$92.2 zł 350

-10.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$108 zł 410

-34.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$648 zł 2,460

-33.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$491 zł 1,864

-51.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$964 zł 3,658

-14.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$814 zł 3,087

-37.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$3,050 zł 11.6K

-37.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$2,235 zł 8,481

-34.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$1,485 zł 5,635

-60.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.05

-29.08%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Augustow: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $648 in Augustow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Augustow pays 156% 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: $18.00 in Chiang Mai vs $57.0 in Augustow for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $245 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

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

Chiang Mai wins on cost – living expenses run 82% lower than in Augustow. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chiang Mai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 156% lower in Augustow. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $432 in Chiang Mai versus $648 in Augustow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $309 in Chiang Mai versus $578 in Augustow. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,571 in Augustow, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Augustow. 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, Chiang Mai and Augustow 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 82% less than in Augustow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.