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: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,657 in Augustow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $2,493 in Augustow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $3,330 in Augustow.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 44% less than in Augustow, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 32% below, Augustow is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$12.79 zł 48.57

-83.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$63.4 zł 241

-69.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$10.52 zł 39.95

-46.10%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$4.54 zł 17.25

-60.13%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$2.53 zł 9.59

-69.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$2.31 zł 8.77

-84.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$4.66 zł 17.70

-52.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$5.39 zł 20.46

-29.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.13 zł 4.30

81.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.59 zł 6.03

-5.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.81 zł 6.88

-22.65%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$3.96 zł 15.04

-42.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$9.73 zł 36.94

66.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$7.36 zł 27.93

-60.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$15.41 zł 58.5

-38.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$1.27 zł 4.81

111.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.76 zł 6.70

-38.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.77 zł 6.70

-8.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$4.06 zł 15.43

-64.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$0.87 zł 3.31

47.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.96 zł 3.63

10.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$1.49 zł 5.64

-51.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.72 zł 2.75

-26.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$6.52 zł 24.74

-35.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$6.50 zł 24.69

181.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.17 zł 4.44

39.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.88 zł 7.16

54.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$1.13 zł 4.30

-22.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

$30.66 zł 116

75.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$2.69 zł 10.22

-56.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$1.30 zł 4.93

-55.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$13.25 zł 50.3

-81.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.78 zł 6.74

-18.54%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$32.1K zł 122.0K

-34.61%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$31.3K zł 118.7K

-15.48%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$374 zł 1,419

-82.97%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$9.05 zł 34.35

42.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$17.25 zł 65.5

18.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$44.30 zł 168

-11.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$21.36 zł 81.1

-81.65%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$9.89 zł 37.53

-33.47%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$617 zł 2,342

27.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$15.8K zł 60.2K

-7.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$115 zł 435

-51.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$43.04 zł 163

-42.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$111 zł 420

-15.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$122 zł 463

-39.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$650 zł 2,467

-24.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$489 zł 1,856

-41.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$915 zł 3,473

-2.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$906 zł 3,441

-42.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$3,002 zł 11.4K

-34.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$2,299 zł 8,727

-37.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$1,529 zł 5,805

-60.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.65

-16.24%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Augustow: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $650 in Augustow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Augustow pays 154% 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: $20.00 in Chiang Mai vs $63.0 in Augustow for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $249 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 78% 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 154% 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: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $650 in Augustow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $784 in Chiang Mai versus $617 in Augustow. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Augustow. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,657 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 $932 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 78% less than in Augustow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.