Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Rzeszow

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $938 a month against $1,429 in Rzeszow, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$938
/mo nomad
Rzeszow
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,429
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,429 in Rzeszow, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $938
  • Rzeszow $1,429

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,184 in Rzeszow, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,426
  • Rzeszow $2,184

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,938 in Rzeszow, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,914
  • Rzeszow $2,938

Chiang Mai is about 34% cheaper than Rzeszow, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chiang Mai sits 30% below the global median, while Rzeszow is 6% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Rzeszow
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.26 ฿75.4
$11.62 zł 45.16
-80.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.18 ฿641
$38.78 zł 151
-50.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.59 ฿187
$7.85 zł 30.51
-28.79%
Cappuccino
$1.72 ฿57.6
$2.94 zł 11.44
-41.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.54
$2.17 zł 8.44
-70.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ฿11.18
$1.43 zł 5.56
-76.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿78.7
$3.39 zł 13.18
-30.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.90 ฿130
$4.10 zł 15.94
-4.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Rzeszow
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.05 ฿68.6
$0.97 zł 3.78
111.34%
White Bread (500g)
$1.40 ฿46.70
$1.37 zł 5.30
2.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.28 ฿42.89
$1.14 zł 4.44
12.28%
Eggs
$2.25 ฿75.3
$3.24 zł 12.58
-30.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.94 ฿566
$8.24 zł 32.02
105.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.74 ฿91.6
$6.64 zł 25.81
-58.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.36 ฿313
$12.00 zł 46.63
-22.00%
Apples (1kg)
$2.40 ฿80.3
$0.96 zł 3.72
150.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.01 ฿33.92
$1.58 zł 6.14
-36.08%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.61 ฿53.9
$1.63 zł 6.32
-1.23%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.52 ฿50.7
$2.38 zł 9.23
-36.13%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿42.90
$0.70 zł 2.72
82.86%
Onion (1kg)
$1.11 ฿37.22
$0.84 zł 3.25
32.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.72 ฿24.09
$1.42 zł 5.53
-49.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.54
$0.64 zł 2.49
-18.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.33 ฿145
$5.20 zł 20.19
-16.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.73 ฿593
$7.09 zł 27.55
150.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 ฿54.4
$1.28 zł 4.96
27.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 ฿95.3
$1.48 zł 5.75
92.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Rzeszow
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.85 ฿28.31
$1.29 zł 5.01
-34.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.9 ฿1,801
$26.59 zł 103
102.71%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.17 ฿39.18
$2.57 zł 9.98
-54.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.57 ฿19.00
$1.75 zł 6.80
-67.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.37 ฿79.2
$13.84 zł 53.8
-82.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.32
$1.59 zł 6.19
-8.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.5K ฿684.3K
$30.7K zł 119.1K
-33.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K ฿886.1K
$26.7K zł 103.9K
-0.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Rzeszow
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.3 ฿2,083
$275 zł 1,069
-77.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.27 ฿410
$10.61 zł 41.21
15.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.97 ฿668
$14.81 zł 57.5
34.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Rzeszow
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.91 ฿1,267
$36.44 zł 142
4.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.76 ฿126
$24.05 zł 93.4
-84.37%
Cinema Ticket
$6.71 ฿224
$7.67 zł 29.81
-12.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Rzeszow
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 ฿26.6K
$263 zł 1,021
203.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿495.7K
$8,109 zł 31.5K
82.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Rzeszow
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.3 ฿1,780
$73.7 zł 286
-27.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.05 ฿837
$46.95 zł 182
-46.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.6 ฿3,062
$74.9 zł 291
22.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.5 ฿2,455
$103 zł 401
-28.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Rzeszow
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$464 ฿15.5K
$726 zł 2,822
-36.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$305 ฿10.2K
$500 zł 1,943
-39.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$915 ฿30.6K
$989 zł 3,841
-7.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$552 ฿18.5K
$1,047 zł 4,069
-47.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,912 ฿63.9K
$3,546 zł 13.8K
-46.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,438 ฿48.1K
$2,362 zł 9,177
-39.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Rzeszow
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$595 ฿19.9K
$1,737 zł 6,747
-65.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
6.79
-17.97%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Rzeszow: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$305
Rzeszow
$500 64.1% $195
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$238
Rzeszow
$208 12.5% $30
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$110
Rzeszow
$134 22.7% $25
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$95
Rzeszow
$300 218% $206
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$79
Rzeszow
$191 142% $112
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Rzeszow
$43 29.8% $18
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$51
Rzeszow
$52 0.9% $0.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $726 in Rzeszow. 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 192% higher in Rzeszow, 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 $39.00 in Rzeszow. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Chiang Mai vs $208 in Rzeszow – so Rzeszow wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇵🇱 Rzeszow
🕒 Local time
04:26 4:26 AM
23:26 11:26 PM
5 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
197,536
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 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 19, 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 Rzeszow 7,500 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Rzeszow

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 Rzeszow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Rzeszow?
Rzeszow costs about 52% 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 Rzeszow?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,144 in Rzeszow. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Rzeszow?
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 childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Rzeszow?
Kindergarten costs $797 per month in Chiang Mai and $263 in Rzeszow. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Chiang Mai or in Rzeszow?
Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Rzeszow – 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 Rzeszow?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $938, than in Rzeszow at $1,429. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rzeszow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Chiang Mai or Rzeszow?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $938 versus $1,429 in Rzeszow. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Rzeszow?
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 Rzeszow?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rzeszow makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared

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