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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,386 in Plock, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,038 in Plock, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,690 in Plock, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 37% cheaper than Plock, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 35% below the global median, while Plock is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.6

$9.32 zł 34.06

-79.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$40.45 zł 148

-53.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿256

$8.08 zł 29.50

-3.22%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$3.71 zł 13.56

-47.44%

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

$0.85 ฿27.80

$1.85 zł 6.74

-54.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.60

$1.69 zł 6.19

-79.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.7

$3.75 zł 13.70

-43.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.91 zł 10.64

28.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$0.95 zł 3.48

80.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.3

$1.30 zł 4.75

25.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.18

$1.63 zł 5.96

-30.06%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.2

$2.90 zł 10.59

-33.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$9.90 zł 36.16

63.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$6.59 zł 24.07

-52.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$11.93 zł 43.58

-8.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.05 zł 3.83

161.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.56

$1.58 zł 5.78

-23.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.75 zł 6.40

-7.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.9

$1.64 zł 6.01

-3.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.75

$0.89 zł 3.24

57.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.20

$1.15 zł 4.21

1.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.62

$1.37 zł 5.00

-51.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.24

$0.32 zł 1.18

65.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$5.25 zł 19.16

-10.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿610

$8.98 zł 32.81

107.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.12 zł 4.08

60.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.51 zł 5.53

113.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.28

$1.32 zł 4.81

-31.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$30.15 zł 110

-36.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.96

$2.13 zł 7.77

-33.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.16

$0.61 zł 2.23

111.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$10.94 zł 39.97

-28.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.62

$1.70 zł 6.21

-25.29%

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

$21.3K ฿695.5K

$26.4K zł 96.3K

-19.27%

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

$22.2K ฿726.1K

$32.2K zł 117.7K

-31.09%

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

$69.1 ฿2,258

$274 zł 1,001

-74.79%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$10.17 zł 37.14

38.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$17.73 zł 64.8

1.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,342

$30.86 zł 113

33.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$19.85 zł 72.5

-64.94%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.76 zł 24.68

-12.43%

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

$299 ฿9,775

$412 zł 1,507

-27.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.8K

$6,681 zł 24.4K

123.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,788

$67.2 zł 246

-18.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿875

$38.01 zł 139

-29.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,778

$96.7 zł 353

-12.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,308

$103 zł 375

-31.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$644 zł 2,354

-33.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,759

$503 zł 1,837

-52.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$970 zł 3,543

-17.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.9K

$814 zł 2,974

-36.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$3,017 zł 11.0K

-34.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$2,375 zł 8,675

-37.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$1,290 zł 4,714

-52.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-16.67%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Plock: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $644 in Plock. 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 109% higher in Plock, 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 $40.00 in Plock. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $210 in Plock – so Plock 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 Plock: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Plock costs about 60% 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 $2,079 in Plock. 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 $412 in Plock. 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 Plock – 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 Plock at $1,386. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Plock it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,386 in Plock. 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, Plock makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.