Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Pabianice Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Pabianice

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,480 in Pabianice, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,152 in Pabianice, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,824 in Pabianice, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 41% cheaper than Pabianice, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Pabianice is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$11.00 zł 40.10

-82.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$48.66 zł 177

-61.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$9.05 zł 33.00

-13.59%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$3.60 zł 13.12

-45.83%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.89 zł 6.90

-55.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$1.62 zł 5.89

-78.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$3.32 zł 12.09

-35.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.99 zł 14.54

-6.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.00 zł 3.63

71.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.19 zł 4.34

36.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.21 zł 4.42

-5.79%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$3.00 zł 10.96

-35.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$8.48 zł 30.92

91.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.71 zł 24.46

-53.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$10.83 zł 39.48

0.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.20 zł 4.38

129.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.72 zł 6.26

-29.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.98 zł 7.23

-18.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.91 zł 10.62

-45.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.95 zł 3.45

47.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.20 zł 4.37

-2.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.18 zł 4.31

-44.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.59 zł 2.15

-10.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$5.03 zł 18.32

-6.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$6.96 zł 25.37

168.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.25 zł 4.54

44.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.93 zł 7.02

67.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$1.11 zł 4.05

-18.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$31.96 zł 117

-39.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$2.52 zł 9.19

-44.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.51 zł 1.86

152.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$9.23 zł 33.67

-15.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.74 zł 6.35

-27.01%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$34.1K zł 124.2K

-37.55%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$29.0K zł 105.8K

-23.48%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$331 zł 1,206

-79.11%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$8.38 zł 30.57

68.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$16.23 zł 59.2

10.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$36.81 zł 134

11.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$19.74 zł 72.0

-64.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$8.02 zł 29.26

-26.18%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$334 zł 1,218

-10.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$9,256 zł 33.8K

61.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$77.6 zł 283

-29.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$30.67 zł 112

-12.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$76.5 zł 279

11.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$93.4 zł 341

-24.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$511 zł 1,864

-16.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$517 zł 1,887

-54.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$818 zł 2,983

-2.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$815 zł 2,973

-36.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,265 zł 8,259

-12.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,454 zł 5,302

1.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$1,044 zł 3,807

-40.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

-26.25%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Pabianice: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $511 in Pabianice. 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 69% higher in Pabianice, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $49.00 in Pabianice. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $210 in Pabianice – so Pabianice 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 Pabianice: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pabianice costs about 71% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,220 in Pabianice. 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $334 in Pabianice. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 17% cheaper in Pabianice – 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 $866, than in Pabianice at $1,480. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pabianice it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,480 in Pabianice. 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, Pabianice makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.