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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,560 in Szczecinek, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,175 in Szczecinek, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,789 in Szczecinek, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 45% cheaper than Szczecinek, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chiang Mai sits 36% below the global median, while Szczecinek is 17% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$10.90 zł 41.35

-82.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$24.52 zł 93.0

-25.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$9.36 zł 35.50

-20.09%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$3.64 zł 13.82

-44.51%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$1.03 zł 3.91

-17.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.70 zł 2.67

-48.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$4.12 zł 15.62

-48.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$1.51 zł 5.73

137.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.06 zł 4.02

55.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$1.09 zł 4.15

44.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.58 zł 6.01

-24.68%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$3.46 zł 13.11

-43.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$8.18 zł 31.02

97.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$7.24 zł 27.47

-58.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$13.18 zł 50.0

-17.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.05 zł 4.00

158.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.99 zł 7.56

-41.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.88 zł 7.12

-10.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$3.03 zł 11.49

-47.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.87 zł 3.32

58.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.67 zł 2.54

79.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.51 zł 5.73

-55.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.72 zł 2.74

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$5.36 zł 20.34

-13.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$7.83 zł 29.70

125.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.06 zł 4.03

75.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.66 zł 6.28

98.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$1.06 zł 4.01

-16.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$32.83 zł 125

-41.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$2.28 zł 8.65

-40.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.76 zł 2.89

76.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$13.51 zł 51.3

-39.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.67 zł 6.34

-26.95%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$33.3K zł 126.3K

-35.85%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$30.0K zł 113.9K

-24.94%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$367 zł 1,393

-80.76%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$11.59 zł 43.96

21.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$16.07 zł 61.0

8.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$36.83 zł 140

14.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$19.35 zł 73.4

-64.44%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$7.43 zł 28.20

-20.32%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$370 zł 1,404

-16.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$6,626 zł 25.1K

124.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$121 zł 460

-53.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$45.21 zł 172

-42.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$110 zł 417

-24.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$90.7 zł 344

-22.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$507 zł 1,922

-14.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$491 zł 1,864

-51.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$965 zł 3,661

-14.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$802 zł 3,042

-36.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,936 zł 11.1K

-34.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$2,296 zł 8,713

-36.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$1,317 zł 4,995

-55.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

19.05%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Szczecinek: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $507 in Szczecinek. 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 127% higher in Szczecinek, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Szczecinek. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $225 in Szczecinek – so Szczecinek 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 Szczecinek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Szczecinek costs about 81% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $2,341 in Szczecinek. 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $370 in Szczecinek. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Szczecinek – 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 $861, than in Szczecinek at $1,560. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Szczecinek it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,560 in Szczecinek. 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, Szczecinek makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.