Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Lodz

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $1,492 in Lodz, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 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
72

Cost of Living Index in Lodz
Learn more

Lodz Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$925

/mo nomad

Lodz

🇵🇱 Poland

$1,492

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Lodz

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 Lodz actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,492 in Lodz, rent included.

Chiang Mai $925
Lodz $1,492

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,191 in Lodz, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,414
Lodz $2,191

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,889 in Lodz, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,903
Lodz $2,889

Chiang Mai is about 38% cheaper than Lodz, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Lodz is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ฿77.2

$9.67 zł 37.97

-76.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ฿663

$46.77 zł 184

-58.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ฿189

$8.80 zł 34.54

-36.25%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿56.1

$3.55 zł 13.95

-53.24%

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

$0.70 ฿23.62

$2.80 zł 10.98

-75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.33

$2.72 zł 10.67

-88.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿81.2

$4.65 zł 18.28

-48.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿125

$5.16 zł 20.27

-28.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ฿65.9

$0.98 zł 3.87

98.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.48

$1.08 zł 4.23

30.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿44.04

$1.34 zł 5.28

-2.24%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿73.6

$3.47 zł 13.61

-37.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.65 ฿562

$10.50 zł 41.23

58.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ฿93.1

$6.92 zł 27.17

-60.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 ฿307

$11.97 zł 47.01

-23.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.7

$1.15 zł 4.51

107.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 ฿34.59

$1.67 zł 6.54

-38.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿54.9

$2.32 zł 9.11

-29.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$3.00 zł 11.77

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 ฿43.54

$0.78 zł 3.08

65.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.38

$0.93 zł 3.67

19.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.31

$1.40 zł 5.48

-48.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.76

$0.60 zł 2.35

-11.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿145

$5.80 zł 22.78

-25.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 ฿605

$6.76 zł 26.54

165.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ฿53.4

$1.16 zł 4.54

36.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.9

$1.75 zł 6.89

62.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿29.14

$1.10 zł 4.31

-21.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 ฿1,798

$52.1 zł 205

2.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 ฿40.67

$1.54 zł 6.06

-21.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.17

$0.54 zł 2.11

5.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 ฿79.4

$9.35 zł 36.71

-74.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿48.42

$1.61 zł 6.31

-10.56%

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

$20.7K ฿699.4K

$30.4K zł 119.2K

-31.72%

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

$26.8K ฿904.2K

$28.3K zł 111.0K

-5.20%

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

$62.3 ฿2,103

$321 zł 1,259

-80.56%

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

$12.11 ฿409

$8.43 zł 33.09

43.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.94 ฿673

$17.64 zł 69.2

13.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 ฿1,251

$36.34 zł 143

2.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 ฿127

$17.84 zł 70.0

-78.81%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 ฿219

$8.34 zł 32.74

-22.06%

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

$793 ฿26.7K

$511 zł 2,006

55.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿499.6K

$10.2K zł 40.1K

45.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ฿1,813

$73.4 zł 288

-26.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ฿831

$40.53 zł 159

-39.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 ฿3,065

$90.7 zł 356

0.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 ฿2,400

$98.9 zł 388

-28.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ฿15.4K

$599 zł 2,352

-23.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ฿10.0K

$472 zł 1,851

-36.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 ฿30.6K

$1,096 zł 4,302

-17.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 ฿18.7K

$833 zł 3,269

-33.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,931 ฿65.1K

$3,108 zł 12.2K

-37.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.7K

$2,352 zł 9,233

-38.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ฿19.9K

$1,627 zł 6,389

-63.69%

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: October 17, 2026

Last update for Lodz: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$298 32.2%

Lodz

$472 31.6% 58.3% $174

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$235 25.5%

Lodz

$222 14.9% 5.9% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.7%

Lodz

$137 9.2% 26.3% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.2%

Lodz

$347 23.2% 267% $252

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.5%

Lodz

$202 13.5% 157% $123

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.6%

Lodz

$61 4.1% 0% $0

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$50 5.4%

Lodz

$53 3.6% 5.9% $3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $599 in Lodz. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Lodz are about 2.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20 in Chiang Mai versus $47 in Lodz. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Chiang Mai vs $222 in Lodz – so Lodz wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇵🇱 Lodz

🕒 Local time

01:47 1:47 AM

19:47 7:47 PM

6 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

711,332

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Polish Złoty PLN zł

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1 PLN = 0.255 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 October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.8 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 3.93 PLN (1 PLN = 0.255 USD). 1 EUR = 4.4 PLN (1 PLN = 0.227 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Lodz 7,660 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Lodz

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 Lodz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lodz costs about 61% 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 $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,239 in Lodz. 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 $455 there versus $599 in Lodz.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20 in Chiang Mai and $47 in Lodz. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Lodz – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $925 in Chiang Mai and $1,492 in Lodz. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $1,492 in Lodz. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lodz makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.