Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Ostrow Wielkopolski

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $925 a month against $1,207 in Ostrow Wielkopolski, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$925
/mo nomad
Ostrow Wielkopolski
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,207
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Ostrow Wielkopolski

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

A single person spends $925 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,207 in Ostrow Wielkopolski, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $925
  • Ostrow Wielkopolski $1,207

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,682 in Ostrow Wielkopolski, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,414
  • Ostrow Wielkopolski $1,682

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,157 in Ostrow Wielkopolski, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,903
  • Ostrow Wielkopolski $2,157

Chiang Mai is about 23% cheaper than Ostrow Wielkopolski, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Ostrow Wielkopolski are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Ostrow Wielkopolski 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Ostrow Wielkopolski
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.29 ฿76.5
$10.11 zł 39.29
-77.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.64 ฿656
$35.26 zł 137
-44.30%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.61 ฿188
$8.94 zł 34.75
-37.25%
Cappuccino
$1.66 ฿55.6
$3.52 zł 13.68
-52.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 ฿23.40
$2.64 zł 10.27
-73.48%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.24
$2.56 zł 9.95
-87.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.41 ฿80.4
$3.61 zł 14.02
-33.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.71 ฿124
$4.74 zł 18.43
-21.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Ostrow Wielkopolski
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.3
$0.91 zł 3.52
114.29%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 ฿47.03
$1.22 zł 4.74
15.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.31 ฿43.62
$1.45 zł 5.62
-9.66%
Eggs
$2.18 ฿72.9
$3.40 zł 13.20
-35.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.65 ฿556
$8.10 zł 31.46
105.56%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.76 ฿92.2
$5.36 zł 20.84
-48.51%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.11 ฿304
$13.49 zł 52.4
-32.47%
Apples (1kg)
$2.39 ฿80.0
$1.05 zł 4.08
127.62%
Banana (1kg)
$1.03 ฿34.26
$1.44 zł 5.61
-28.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.63 ฿54.4
$1.48 zł 5.76
10.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.0
$2.65 zł 10.29
-43.40%
Potato (1kg)
$1.29 ฿43.13
$0.98 zł 3.79
31.63%
Onion (1kg)
$1.11 ฿37.03
$0.90 zł 3.49
23.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿24.08
$1.30 zł 5.03
-44.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 ฿17.59
$0.60 zł 2.32
-11.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.31 ฿144
$5.62 zł 21.84
-23.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.95 ฿600
$6.45 zł 25.07
178.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 ฿52.9
$1.02 zł 3.95
54.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.0
$1.65 zł 6.41
72.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Ostrow Wielkopolski
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 ฿28.86
$0.90 zł 3.52
-4.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.3 ฿1,780
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.21 ฿40.29
$1.82 zł 7.06
-33.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.57 ฿18.99
$0.61 zł 2.37
-6.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.35 ฿78.6
$10.08 zł 39.16
-76.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 ฿47.96
$1.68 zł 6.53
-14.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K ฿692.8K
$30.7K zł 119.1K
-32.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K ฿895.7K
$27.6K zł 107.3K
-2.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Ostrow Wielkopolski
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.3 ฿2,083
$278 zł 1,079
-77.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.11 ฿405
$7.95 zł 30.89
52.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.94 ฿666
$17.55 zł 68.2
13.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Ostrow Wielkopolski
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.07 ฿1,239
$42.79 zł 166
-13.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.78 ฿126
$12.90 zł 50.1
-70.70%
Cinema Ticket
$6.50 ฿217
$5.06 zł 19.65
28.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Ostrow Wielkopolski
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$793 ฿26.5K
$565 zł 2,197
40.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿494.9K
$12.1K zł 47.0K
22.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Ostrow Wielkopolski
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.7 ฿1,796
$69.1 zł 268
-22.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.62 ฿823
$31.32 zł 122
-21.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.9 ฿3,036
$90.8 zł 353
0.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.1 ฿2,378
$92.8 zł 360
-23.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Ostrow Wielkopolski
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$455 ฿15.2K
$405 zł 1,574
12.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$298 ฿9,954
$313 zł 1,216
-4.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$908 ฿30.4K
$518 zł 2,012
75.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$554 ฿18.5K
$378 zł 1,468
46.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,931 ฿64.5K
$1,701 zł 6,608
13.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,445 ฿48.3K
$1,541 zł 5,988
-6.27%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Ostrow Wielkopolski
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$591 ฿19.7K
$1,514 zł 5,882
-60.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
7.19
-22.53%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 17, 2026

Last update for Ostrow Wielkopolski: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$298
Ostrow Wielkopolski
$313 5.1% $15
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$235
Ostrow Wielkopolski
$204 13.5% $32
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$108
Ostrow Wielkopolski
$128 18.1% $20
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Ostrow Wielkopolski
$303 221% $209
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$79
Ostrow Wielkopolski
$198 152% $120
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Ostrow Wielkopolski
$8.5 * 86% $52
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Ostrow Wielkopolski
$53 5.7% $2.8

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Chiang Mai versus $405 in Ostrow Wielkopolski. 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 156% higher in Ostrow Wielkopolski, 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 $35.00 in Ostrow Wielkopolski. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Chiang Mai vs $204 in Ostrow Wielkopolski – so Ostrow Wielkopolski wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇵🇱 Ostrow Wielkopolski
🕒 Local time
05:10 5:10 AM
00:10 12:10 AM
5 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
71,254
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3.89 PLN (1 PLN = 0.257 USD). 1 EUR = 4.37 PLN (1 PLN = 0.229 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Ostrow Wielkopolski 7,780 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Ostrow Wielkopolski

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 Ostrow Wielkopolski: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Ostrow Wielkopolski?
Ostrow Wielkopolski costs about 30% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Ostrow Wielkopolski?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,388 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,811 in Ostrow Wielkopolski. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Ostrow Wielkopolski?
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.
How do dining costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Ostrow Wielkopolski?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $35.00 in Ostrow Wielkopolski. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Ostrow Wielkopolski?
Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Ostrow Wielkopolski – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Chiang Mai or in Ostrow Wielkopolski?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Ostrow Wielkopolski at $1,207. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ostrow Wielkopolski it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Ostrow Wielkopolski?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $925 versus $1,207 in Ostrow Wielkopolski. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Ostrow Wielkopolski?
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.
Should I move to Chiang Mai or to Ostrow Wielkopolski?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ostrow Wielkopolski makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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