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: $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,484 in Bielsko-biala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,399 in Chiang Mai versus $2,178 in Bielsko-biala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,866 in Chiang Mai versus $2,872 in Bielsko-biala.

Living in Chiang Mai costs roughly 37% less than in Bielsko-biala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chiang Mai is 32% below, Bielsko-biala is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$10.29 zł 39.15

-79.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$48.65 zł 185

-59.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$9.12 zł 34.69

-37.83%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$3.78 zł 14.38

-52.12%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$2.30 zł 8.76

-66.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$1.43 zł 5.43

-75.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$4.08 zł 15.50

-45.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$3.91 zł 14.89

-3.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.05 zł 4.01

95.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.14 zł 4.35

32.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.41 zł 5.35

-0.71%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$3.02 zł 11.47

-25.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$8.90 zł 33.84

81.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$6.02 zł 22.90

-51.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$10.22 zł 38.87

-7.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$1.18 zł 4.47

127.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.68 zł 6.39

-35.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$2.21 zł 8.41

-26.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$2.03 zł 7.73

-28.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.89 zł 3.39

43.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.82 zł 3.13

29.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$1.05 zł 3.99

-31.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.61 zł 2.34

-13.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$5.18 zł 19.70

-18.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$6.75 zł 25.66

170.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.16 zł 4.40

40.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.76 zł 6.70

64.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$1.35 zł 5.12

-34.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$36.93 zł 140

45.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$1.63 zł 6.20

-28.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.60 zł 2.29

-3.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$9.61 zł 36.53

-75.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.63 zł 6.19

-11.04%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$31.9K zł 121.1K

-34.05%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$27.2K zł 103.5K

-2.89%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$307 zł 1,166

-79.24%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$8.78 zł 33.40

46.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$18.29 zł 69.5

12.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$42.21 zł 161

-7.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$46.19 zł 176

-91.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$7.46 zł 28.37

-11.80%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$303 zł 1,154

158.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$2,633 zł 10.0K

457.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$78.0 zł 297

-29.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$41.25 zł 157

-40.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$93.1 zł 354

1.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$101 zł 383

-26.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$631 zł 2,400

-22.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$530 zł 2,017

-45.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$1,043 zł 3,965

-14.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$884 zł 3,362

-41.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$2,524 zł 9,597

-21.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$2,067 zł 7,861

-30.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$1,468 zł 5,583

-59.02%

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 Bielsko-biala: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $490 in Chiang Mai and $631 in Bielsko-biala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bielsko-biala pays 144% 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 $49.00 in Bielsko-biala. Groceries flip the comparison at $241 vs $201, 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 59% in total monthly costs ($932 vs $1,484 including rent). Chiang Mai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 144% 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: $490 in Chiang Mai versus $631 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 46% less than in Bielsko-biala. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $784 in Chiang Mai versus $303 in Bielsko-biala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $932 in Chiang Mai versus $1,484 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 59% less than in Bielsko-biala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.