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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $872 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,210 in Tarnow, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,704 in Tarnow, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,802 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,197 in Tarnow, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 28% cheaper than Tarnow, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Tarnow are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Tarnow 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 ฿64.5

$9.68 zł 34.85

-79.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.23 ฿584

$27.18 zł 97.9

-32.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 ฿245

$6.88 zł 24.76

11.19%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿61.5

$2.77 zł 9.98

-30.69%

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

$0.84 ฿26.97

$2.16 zł 7.78

-61.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.42

$1.37 zł 4.94

-73.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 ฿70.2

$3.00 zł 10.82

-27.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿121

$3.60 zł 12.95

5.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿52.5

$1.03 zł 3.71

59.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿52.0

$1.20 zł 4.32

35.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.98

$1.39 zł 5.00

-17.27%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿62.2

$2.54 zł 9.16

-23.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 ฿511

$7.97 zł 28.70

100.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.5

$6.39 zł 22.99

-51.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ฿355

$9.91 zł 35.69

11.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿86.8

$0.83 zł 2.99

226.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿37.80

$1.62 zł 5.82

-27.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿54.7

$1.33 zł 4.78

28.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.5

$2.14 zł 7.69

-24.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿44.66

$0.84 zł 3.01

65.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ฿36.81

$1.12 zł 4.02

2.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ฿22.83

$1.07 zł 3.85

-33.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿17.65

$0.62 zł 2.21

-11.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿146

$4.58 zł 16.47

-0.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.87 ฿605

$7.68 zł 27.64

145.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$0.97 zł 3.49

87.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ฿103

$1.46 zł 5.26

119.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.24

$1.10 zł 3.97

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.89 ฿606

$33.06 zł 119

-42.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.30

$1.33 zł 4.78

6.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 ฿41.71

$0.48 zł 1.73

170.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 ฿263

$13.49 zł 48.57

-39.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.29

$1.79 zł 6.43

-31.28%

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

$21.2K ฿678.9K

$34.3K zł 123.5K

-38.29%

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

$22.3K ฿715.3K

$24.8K zł 89.2K

-9.95%

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

$69.9 ฿2,240

$250 zł 900

-72.05%

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

$14.07 ฿451

$7.65 zł 27.54

83.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 ฿567

$16.45 zł 59.2

7.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ฿1,328

$27.20 zł 97.9

52.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.69 ฿215

$12.14 zł 43.71

-44.89%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 ฿184

$5.00 zł 17.99

14.80%

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

$299 ฿9,593

$325 zł 1,170

-7.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿481.2K

$4,867 zł 17.5K

208.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,758

$85.4 zł 307

-35.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.35 ฿845

$26.59 zł 95.7

-0.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.7 ฿2,714

$80.0 zł 288

5.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.7 ฿2,236

$117 zł 423

-40.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 ฿13.7K

$467 zł 1,683

-8.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,718

$373 zł 1,344

-35.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 ฿26.0K

$646 zł 2,326

25.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.0K

$488 zł 1,758

2.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,022 ฿64.8K

$2,957 zł 10.6K

-31.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,524 ฿48.9K

$1,873 zł 6,743

-18.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 ฿20.5K

$1,069 zł 3,849

-40.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

-20.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 13, 2026

Last update for Tarnow: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Chiang Mai versus $467 in Tarnow. 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 67% higher in Tarnow, 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 in Chiang Mai versus $27 in Tarnow. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $193 in Tarnow – so Tarnow 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 Tarnow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tarnow costs about 39% 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 $1,308 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,816 in Tarnow. 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 $325 in Tarnow. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 28% cheaper in Tarnow – 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 $872, than in Tarnow at $1,210. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tarnow it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $872 versus $1,210 in Tarnow. 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, Tarnow makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.