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: $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,329 in Biala Podlaska.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,360 in Chiang Mai versus $1,905 in Biala Podlaska.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,867 in Chiang Mai versus $2,480 in Biala Podlaska.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 36% less than in Biala Podlaska, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 36% below, Biala Podlaska is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$8.06 zł 30.06

-74.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$22.08 zł 82.4

-15.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$8.29 zł 30.91

-5.19%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$3.58 zł 13.34

-43.30%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.91 zł 7.12

-58.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$1.68 zł 6.26

-79.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$3.20 zł 11.94

-33.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$4.13 zł 15.39

-11.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.04 zł 3.88

66.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.20 zł 4.46

30.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.19 zł 4.44

0.84%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$3.01 zł 11.23

-34.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$8.64 zł 32.23

87.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$7.00 zł 26.12

-56.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$10.95 zł 40.86

-1.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.15 zł 4.29

140.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.78 zł 6.62

-34.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.89 zł 7.06

-9.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$2.81 zł 10.49

-43.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.90 zł 3.34

54.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.23 zł 4.60

-5.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.20 zł 4.48

-45.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.54 zł 2.02

-3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$5.14 zł 19.17

-9.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$6.87 zł 25.62

158.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.26 zł 4.68

42.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.92 zł 7.17

73.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$1.06 zł 3.95

-14.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$33.03 zł 123

-43.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$2.21 zł 8.26

-36.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.98 zł 3.64

36.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$9.22 zł 34.38

-12.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.71 zł 6.37

-28.07%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$33.9K zł 126.5K

-36.78%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$29.0K zł 108.1K

-24.67%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$206 zł 768

-65.34%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$8.48 zł 31.62

65.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$13.55 zł 50.5

32.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$36.57 zł 136

11.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$19.21 zł 71.7

-64.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.40 zł 20.16

5.93%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$338 zł 1,261

-8.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$9,621 zł 35.9K

52.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$90.7 zł 338

-38.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$31.05 zł 116

-16.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$77.1 zł 288

10.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$96.2 zł 359

-26.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$637 zł 2,375

-33.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$499 zł 1,861

-51.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$964 zł 3,597

-17.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$827 zł 3,085

-38.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$2,995 zł 11.2K

-35.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$2,286 zł 8,527

-35.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$1,051 zł 3,922

-43.40%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Biala Podlaska: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Chiang Mai and $637 in Biala Podlaska. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Biala Podlaska pays 77% 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 $22.00 in Biala Podlaska. Groceries flip the comparison at $244 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 56% in total monthly costs ($852 vs $1,329 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 77% 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: $423 in Chiang Mai versus $637 in Biala Podlaska. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $308 in Chiang Mai versus $338 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 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $852 in Chiang Mai versus $1,329 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 56% less than in Biala Podlaska. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.