Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bielsko-biala Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Bielsko-biala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,437 in Bielsko-biala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Chiang Mai versus $2,149 in Bielsko-biala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Chiang Mai versus $2,861 in Bielsko-biala.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 40% less than in Bielsko-biala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 36% below, Bielsko-biala is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$9.97 zł 37.82

-80.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$46.78 zł 178

-60.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$8.12 zł 30.80

-7.88%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$3.57 zł 13.56

-43.42%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$0.97 zł 3.68

-12.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$1.20 zł 4.55

-70.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$3.32 zł 12.61

-35.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.56 zł 13.52

0.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.03 zł 3.91

60.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.24 zł 4.71

26.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.21 zł 4.59

-1.65%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$3.02 zł 11.47

-35.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$8.75 zł 33.19

85.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$6.97 zł 26.45

-57.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$10.85 zł 41.17

0.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.15 zł 4.38

135.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.79 zł 6.81

-34.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$2.01 zł 7.61

-15.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.69 zł 10.21

-40.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.90 zł 3.41

53.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.84 zł 3.17

42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.06 zł 4.02

-36.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.60 zł 2.26

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$4.62 zł 17.53

0.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$6.73 zł 25.55

161.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.20 zł 4.55

55.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.88 zł 7.15

75.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$1.14 zł 4.32

-22.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$29.81 zł 113

-35.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$1.54 zł 5.82

-11.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.51 zł 1.94

162.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$10.15 zł 38.50

-19.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.75 zł 6.63

-30.29%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$33.9K zł 128.7K

-37.05%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$29.8K zł 113.0K

-24.35%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$331 zł 1,256

-78.64%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$8.38 zł 31.80

67.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$17.13 zł 65.0

2.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$30.84 zł 117

36.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$16.07 zł 61.0

-57.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$6.71 zł 25.46

-11.77%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$276 zł 1,049

11.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$2,594 zł 9,842

473.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$93.6 zł 355

-40.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$30.90 zł 117

-15.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$74.6 zł 283

11.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$96.7 zł 367

-27.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$702 zł 2,665

-38.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$485 zł 1,840

-50.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$2,216 zł 8,407

-62.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$945 zł 3,587

-45.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,408 zł 9,136

-20.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$2,058 zł 7,809

-28.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$1,386 zł 5,260

-58.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.3

-20.63%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bielsko-biala: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Chiang Mai and $702 in Bielsko-biala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bielsko-biala pays 139% 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 $47.00 in Bielsko-biala. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $210, with Bielsko-biala 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 Bielsko-biala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai and Bielsko-biala differ by about 67% in total monthly costs ($861 vs $1,437 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 139% lower in Bielsko-biala. 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 $702 in Bielsko-biala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chiang Mai runs roughly 54% less than in Bielsko-biala. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $309 in Chiang Mai versus $276 in Bielsko-biala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $861 in Chiang Mai versus $1,437 in Bielsko-biala, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chiang Mai but tight or insufficient in Bielsko-biala. 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 Bielsko-biala 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 67% less than in Bielsko-biala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.