Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Jelenia Gora

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,399 in Jelenia Gora, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
67

Cost of Living Index in Jelenia Gora
Learn more

Jelenia Gora Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$936

/mo nomad

Jelenia Gora

🇵🇱 Poland

$1,399

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Jelenia Gora

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Jelenia Gora actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,399 in Jelenia Gora, rent included.

Chiang Mai $936
Jelenia Gora $1,399

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,923 in Jelenia Gora, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,457
Jelenia Gora $1,923

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,447 in Jelenia Gora, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,979
Jelenia Gora $2,447

Chiang Mai is about 33% cheaper than Jelenia Gora, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 31% below the global median, while Jelenia Gora is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.24 ฿75.6

$9.41 zł 37.19

-76.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.00 ฿641

$45.39 zł 179

-58.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.55 ฿187

$8.97 zł 35.44

-38.13%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿56.5

$3.49 zł 13.79

-52.15%

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

$0.64 ฿21.55

$2.31 zł 9.13

-72.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.31

$1.76 zł 6.96

-82.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.6

$4.49 zł 17.75

-47.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿124

$3.98 zł 15.75

-8.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$0.87 zł 3.45

124.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿48.48

$1.06 zł 4.21

35.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ฿45.04

$1.33 zł 5.25

Eggs

$2.28 ฿77.1

$3.33 zł 13.15

-31.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.45 ฿555

$10.44 zł 41.27

57.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.78 ฿93.9

$6.53 zł 25.80

-57.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ฿314

$11.43 zł 45.20

-18.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$0.90 zł 3.57

161.11%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ฿32.80

$1.65 zł 6.54

-41.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.36 zł 9.33

-32.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$2.99 zł 11.83

-49.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿43.12

$0.85 zł 3.36

50.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿37.19

$0.86 zł 3.41

27.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿23.82

$1.32 zł 5.21

-46.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.37

$0.50 zł 1.96

-2.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ฿140

$5.63 zł 22.24

-26.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 ฿591

$6.55 zł 25.91

167.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ฿54.5

$1.00 zł 3.97

61.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿94.0

$1.49 zł 5.89

86.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ฿29.31

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.1 ฿1,826

$44.23 zł 175

22.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 ฿39.06

$1.52 zł 6.01

-23.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.80

$0.58 zł 2.28

-8.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.42 ฿81.8

$9.33 zł 36.89

-74.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.90

$1.61 zł 6.36

-9.94%

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

$21.1K ฿710.7K

$30.5K zł 120.4K

-30.88%

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

$26.9K ฿909.3K

$28.4K zł 112.3K

-5.19%

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

$62.2 ฿2,098

$225 zł 890

-72.38%

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

$12.17 ฿411

$8.47 zł 33.48

43.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ฿679

$16.98 zł 67.1

18.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 ฿1,259

$31.04 zł 123

20.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿127

$16.45 zł 65.0

-77.08%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ฿219

$8.10 zł 32.01

-19.88%

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

$736 ฿24.8K

$513 zł 2,027

43.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿498.3K

$10.5K zł 41.5K

40.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 ฿1,801

$73.0 zł 289

-26.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ฿831

$40.40 zł 160

-39.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 ฿3,087

$89.2 zł 353

2.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.9 ฿2,428

$95.3 zł 377

-24.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.3K

$585 zł 2,312

-17.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ฿10.4K

$516 zł 2,039

-40.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 ฿33.9K

$710 zł 2,805

41.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 ฿21.4K

$582 zł 2,301

8.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 ฿79.8K

$2,148 zł 8,493

9.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,589 ฿53.6K

$2,021 zł 7,989

-21.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$590 ฿19.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.7

-2.28%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Jelenia Gora: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$309 33%

Jelenia Gora

$516 36.9% 66.9% $207

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$234 25.1%

Jelenia Gora

$212 15.1% 9.7% $23

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$109 11.6%

Jelenia Gora

$134 9.6% 23.4% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Jelenia Gora

$251 17.9% 165% $156

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$78 8.3%

Jelenia Gora

$191 13.6% 146% $113

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Jelenia Gora

$49 * 3.5% 20.7% $13

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Jelenia Gora

$47 3.4% 6% $3

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $585 in Jelenia Gora. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $45 in Jelenia Gora. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $212 in Jelenia Gora – so Jelenia Gora wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇱 Jelenia Gora

🕒 Local time

09:42 9:42 AM

03:42 3:42 AM

6 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

77,807

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Polish Złoty PLN zł

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1 PLN = 0.253 USD

1 PLN = 0.227 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3.95 PLN (1 PLN = 0.253 USD). 1 EUR = 4.41 PLN (1 PLN = 0.227 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Jelenia Gora 7,940 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Jelenia Gora

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Jelenia Gora: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jelenia Gora costs about 49% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,098 in Jelenia Gora. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $585 in Jelenia Gora.

Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $513 in Jelenia Gora. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Jelenia Gora – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,399 in Jelenia Gora. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,399 in Jelenia Gora. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.