Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Biala Podlaska Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Biala Podlaska

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,413 in Biala Podlaska.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $2,026 in Biala Podlaska.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,639 in Biala Podlaska.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 34% less than in Biala Podlaska, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 32% below, Biala Podlaska is 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$8.00 zł 30.36

-74.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$21.49 zł 81.6

-8.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$9.21 zł 34.95

-38.44%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$3.87 zł 14.70

-53.23%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$2.79 zł 10.58

-72.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$2.86 zł 10.87

-87.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$4.90 zł 18.60

-54.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$5.31 zł 20.16

-28.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.03 zł 3.91

99.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$1.10 zł 4.19

37.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.40 zł 5.30

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$3.48 zł 13.20

-35.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$11.01 zł 41.80

47.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$7.34 zł 27.85

-60.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$12.36 zł 46.94

-23.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$1.19 zł 4.52

125.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.67 zł 6.32

-34.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$2.49 zł 9.44

-34.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$3.07 zł 11.64

-52.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$0.88 zł 3.36

45.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.90 zł 3.40

17.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$1.46 zł 5.54

-50.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.64 zł 2.43

-17.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$6.04 zł 22.93

-29.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$6.77 zł 25.71

170.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.15 zł 4.38

41.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.81 zł 6.86

60.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$1.16 zł 4.40

-24.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

$32.52 zł 123

65.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$1.57 zł 5.98

-25.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.58 zł 2.18

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$9.38 zł 35.61

-74.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.59 zł 6.03

-8.81%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$31.3K zł 118.7K

-32.79%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$28.1K zł 106.7K

-6.01%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$197 zł 747

-67.67%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$8.87 zł 33.66

45.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$13.29 zł 50.5

54.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$39.66 zł 151

-1.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$25.39 zł 96.4

-84.56%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$5.34 zł 20.29

23.22%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$524 zł 1,991

49.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$10.8K zł 41.0K

35.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$76.5 zł 290

-27.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$42.80 zł 162

-42.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$92.9 zł 353

1.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$99.6 zł 378

-25.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$656 zł 2,489

-25.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$537 zł 2,040

-46.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$1,073 zł 4,072

-16.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$983 zł 3,731

-46.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$3,015 zł 11.4K

-34.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$2,339 zł 8,881

-38.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$1,071 zł 4,064

-43.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.87

-18.92%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Biala Podlaska: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $656 in Biala Podlaska. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Biala Podlaska pays 78% 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 $21.00 in Biala Podlaska. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $230, with Biala Podlaska 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

Chiang Mai vs Biala Podlaska: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Biala Podlaska differ by about 52% in total monthly costs ($932 vs $1,413 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 78% lower in Biala Podlaska. 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 $656 in Biala Podlaska. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $784 in Chiang Mai versus $524 in Biala Podlaska. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Biala Podlaska pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,413 in Biala Podlaska, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Biala Podlaska. 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, Chiang Mai and Biala Podlaska 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 52% less than in Biala Podlaska. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.