Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Starogard Gdanski

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $936 a month against $1,124 in Starogard Gdanski, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Starogard Gdanski, Poland
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$936
/mo nomad
Starogard Gdanski
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,124
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Starogard Gdanski

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

A single person spends $936 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,124 in Starogard Gdanski, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $936
  • Starogard Gdanski $1,124

A couple spends around $1,457 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,709 in Starogard Gdanski, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,457
  • Starogard Gdanski $1,709

A family of three spends $1,979 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,295 in Starogard Gdanski, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,979
  • Starogard Gdanski $2,295

Chiang Mai is about 17% cheaper than Starogard Gdanski, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Starogard Gdanski are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Starogard Gdanski 17% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Starogard Gdanski
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.24 ฿75.7
$7.67 zł 30.37
-70.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.00 ฿642
$48.63 zł 192
-60.93%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.55 ฿188
$8.46 zł 33.48
-34.40%
Cappuccino
$1.67 ฿56.6
$3.23 zł 12.80
-48.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 ฿21.56
$1.98 zł 7.82
-67.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31 ฿10.32
$1.77 zł 7.00
-82.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.36 ฿79.6
$2.49 zł 9.84
-5.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 ฿124
$3.57 zł 14.13
2.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Starogard Gdanski
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.95 ฿65.8
$0.97 zł 3.86
101.03%
White Bread (500g)
$1.44 ฿48.51
$1.15 zł 4.57
25.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 ฿45.07
$1.24 zł 4.90
7.26%
Eggs
$2.28 ฿77.1
$2.85 zł 11.27
-20.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.45 ฿556
$7.73 zł 30.59
112.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.78 ฿94.0
$6.11 zł 24.17
-54.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.31 ฿314
$10.05 zł 39.77
-7.36%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ฿79.5
$1.01 zł 3.98
132.67%
Banana (1kg)
$0.97 ฿32.82
$1.23 zł 4.86
-21.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 ฿53.9
$1.51 zł 5.97
5.96%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.7
$2.17 zł 8.59
-30.88%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 ฿43.15
$0.66 zł 2.59
93.94%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 ฿37.22
$1.13 zł 4.46
-2.65%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 ฿23.84
$1.11 zł 4.40
-36.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.38
$0.52 zł 2.05
-5.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.14 ฿140
$6.48 zł 25.66
-36.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.52 ฿592
$5.16 zł 20.41
239.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 ฿54.5
$0.89 zł 3.53
80.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿94.0
$1.12 zł 4.43
148.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Starogard Gdanski
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 ฿29.33
$1.05 zł 4.14
-17.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.1 ฿1,827
$27.95 zł 111
93.52%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.16 ฿39.08
$2.08 zł 8.23
-44.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 ฿17.82
$0.77 zł 3.03
-31.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ฿81.8
$7.39 zł 29.25
-67.25%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.93
$1.58 zł 6.25
-8.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.1K ฿711.2K
$28.1K zł 111.1K
-25.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿909.8K
$25.7K zł 101.9K
4.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Starogard Gdanski
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.2 ฿2,100
$129 zł 512
-51.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.17 ฿411
$10.14 zł 40.13
20.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.12 ฿680
$15.83 zł 62.7
27.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Starogard Gdanski
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.31 ฿1,260
$31.83 zł 126
17.22%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.77 ฿127
$19.96 zł 79.0
-81.11%
Cinema Ticket
$6.49 ฿219
$7.27 zł 28.78
-10.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Starogard Gdanski
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$736 ฿24.9K
$241 zł 955
205.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.8K ฿498.6K
$8,379 zł 33.2K
76.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Starogard Gdanski
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 ฿1,802
$80.7 zł 319
-33.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.64 ฿832
$33.63 zł 133
-26.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.5 ฿3,089
$75.7 zł 300
20.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.9 ฿2,429
$93.0 zł 368
-22.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Starogard Gdanski
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$482 ฿16.3K
$580 zł 2,297
-16.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 ฿10.4K
$414 zł 1,639
-25.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 ฿34.0K
$772 zł 3,055
30.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$633 ฿21.4K
$667 zł 2,638
-4.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,363 ฿79.8K
$1,646 zł 6,513
43.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,589 ฿53.7K
$1,414 zł 5,596
12.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Starogard Gdanski
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$590 ฿19.9K
$1,386 zł 5,483
-57.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
6.21
-10.31%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 26, 2026

Last update for Starogard Gdanski: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$309
Starogard Gdanski
$414 34% $105
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$234
Starogard Gdanski
$183 22.1% $52
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$109
Starogard Gdanski
$127 17.2% $19
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Starogard Gdanski
$155 64.4% $61
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$78
Starogard Gdanski
$160 106% $83
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$61
Starogard Gdanski
$38 38% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$50
Starogard Gdanski
$46 7.8% $3.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Chiang Mai versus $580 in Starogard Gdanski. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Starogard Gdanski are about 2.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $49 in Starogard Gdanski. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Chiang Mai vs $183 in Starogard Gdanski – so Starogard Gdanski wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇵🇱 Starogard Gdanski
🕒 Local time
19:00 7:00 PM
13:00 1:00 PM
6 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
47,037
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3.96 PLN (1 PLN = 0.253 USD). 1 EUR = 4.4 PLN (1 PLN = 0.227 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Starogard Gdanski 7,710 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Starogard Gdanski

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 Starogard Gdanski: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Chiang Mai or Starogard Gdanski?
Starogard Gdanski costs about 20% 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 Starogard Gdanski?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,686 in Starogard Gdanski. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Starogard Gdanski?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $580 in Starogard Gdanski.
How do childcare costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Starogard Gdanski?
Kindergarten costs $736 per month in Chiang Mai and $241 in Starogard Gdanski. 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 Starogard Gdanski?
Interestingly, groceries are about 22% cheaper in Starogard Gdanski – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Can you live on $800/month in Chiang Mai or in Starogard Gdanski?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $936 in Chiang Mai and $1,124 in Starogard Gdanski. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Chiang Mai or Starogard Gdanski?
It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in Chiang Mai to $1,124 in Starogard Gdanski. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Starogard Gdanski?
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 Starogard Gdanski?
If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Starogard Gdanski 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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