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: $869 in Chiang Mai versus $1,314 in Biala Podlaska.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,362 in Chiang Mai versus $1,906 in Biala Podlaska.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,855 in Chiang Mai versus $2,497 in Biala Podlaska.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Chiang Mai 35% lower, Biala Podlaska 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$8.06 zł 29.47

-75.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$21.50 zł 78.6

-12.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$7.94 zł 29.02

-2.39%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$3.47 zł 12.68

-44.67%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.90 zł 6.93

-58.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$1.69 zł 6.18

-78.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$3.27 zł 11.97

-32.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.13 zł 15.08

-11.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.09 zł 3.97

51.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.19 zł 4.33

36.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.21 zł 4.43

-1.65%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$3.13 zł 11.46

-36.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$8.52 zł 31.13

87.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.87 zł 25.12

-55.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$10.88 zł 39.77

-0.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.21 zł 4.43

128.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.72 zł 6.30

-31.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.91 zł 6.98

-14.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$2.95 zł 10.80

-48.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.97 zł 3.56

42.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.24 zł 4.52

-4.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.15 zł 4.21

-39.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.55 zł 2.01

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$5.00 zł 18.27

-8.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$6.67 zł 24.38

148.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.21 zł 4.44

51.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.87 zł 6.82

71.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$1.06 zł 3.88

-16.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$33.04 zł 121

-43.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$2.18 zł 7.97

-37.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.98 zł 3.58

36.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$9.45 zł 34.53

-17.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.69 zł 6.16

-27.22%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$33.1K zł 121.1K

-34.73%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$29.6K zł 108.3K

-23.94%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$204 zł 744

-65.35%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$8.76 zł 32.00

56.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$13.46 zł 49.21

29.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$35.82 zł 131

15.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$19.52 zł 71.4

-64.34%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.40 zł 19.74

6.85%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$339 zł 1,237

-9.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$9,403 zł 34.4K

55.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$93.1 zł 340

-40.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$30.43 zł 111

-13.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$74.8 zł 273

14.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$95.9 zł 350

-24.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$645 zł 2,357

-33.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$503 zł 1,840

-52.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$996 zł 3,641

-17.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$802 zł 2,933

-36.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$3,051 zł 11.1K

-34.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$2,351 zł 8,592

-36.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$1,069 zł 3,906

-42.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

-26.25%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Biala Podlaska: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Chiang Mai and $645 in Biala Podlaska. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Biala Podlaska pays 73% 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: $19.00 in Chiang Mai vs $21.00 in Biala Podlaska. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $211, 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 51% in total monthly costs ($869 vs $1,314 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Biala Podlaska earns 73% less. 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: $430 in Chiang Mai versus $645 in Biala Podlaska. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $307 in Chiang Mai versus $339 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 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $869 in Chiang Mai versus $1,314 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 51% less than in Biala Podlaska. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.