Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Nowy Sacz Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Nowy Sacz

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,385 in Nowy Sacz, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,084 in Nowy Sacz, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,782 in Nowy Sacz, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 33% cheaper than Nowy Sacz, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 32% below the global median, while Nowy Sacz is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$9.47 zł 36.01

-78.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$40.57 zł 154

-51.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$7.80 zł 29.67

-27.31%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$3.07 zł 11.68

-41.04%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$2.02 zł 7.68

-61.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$1.63 zł 6.21

-78.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$2.76 zł 10.50

-19.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$3.31 zł 12.59

14.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.06 zł 4.02

93.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$1.36 zł 5.19

11.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.66 zł 6.32

-15.66%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$3.46 zł 13.17

-34.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$9.06 zł 34.46

78.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$6.67 zł 25.36

-56.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$11.63 zł 44.22

-19.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$1.26 zł 4.77

112.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.87 zł 7.13

-41.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$1.80 zł 6.85

-10.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$2.59 zł 9.85

-43.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.90 zł 3.44

42.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$1.13 zł 4.31

-6.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$1.46 zł 5.56

-50.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.71 zł 2.72

-25.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$5.33 zł 20.27

-20.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$7.02 zł 26.69

160.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.15 zł 4.38

41.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.74 zł 6.62

66.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$1.26 zł 4.78

-30.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$29.86 zł 114

80.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$2.16 zł 8.21

-45.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.84 zł 3.19

-30.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$10.54 zł 40.09

-77.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.62 zł 6.17

-10.49%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$32.4K zł 123.1K

-35.10%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$27.9K zł 106.0K

-5.22%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$307 zł 1,167

-79.26%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$10.16 zł 38.63

26.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$13.49 zł 51.3

52.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$39.23 zł 149

-0.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$26.13 zł 99.4

-85.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$8.72 zł 33.14

-24.54%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$265 zł 1,008

195.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$2,268 zł 8,624

546.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$59.0 zł 224

-6.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$39.25 zł 149

-36.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$57.4 zł 218

64.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$74.1 zł 282

-0.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$548 zł 2,083

-10.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$446 zł 1,695

-35.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$1,118 zł 4,253

-20.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$946 zł 3,599

-44.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,982 zł 7,537

-0.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$1,207 zł 4,591

19.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$957 zł 3,640

-37.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.02

-20.66%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Nowy Sacz: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $548 in Nowy Sacz. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 59% higher in Nowy Sacz, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $41.00 in Nowy Sacz. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $220 in Nowy Sacz – so Nowy Sacz wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Nowy Sacz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nowy Sacz costs about 49% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,078 in Nowy Sacz. 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $265 in Nowy Sacz. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Nowy Sacz – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Nowy Sacz at $1,385. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nowy Sacz it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,385 in Nowy Sacz. 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, Nowy Sacz makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.