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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,808 per month in Olsztyn vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,733 per month in Olsztyn vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,659 per month in Olsztyn vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Olsztyn costs about 94% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Olsztyn sits 32% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.39 zł 50.8

$2.08 ฿69.3

543.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 zł 197

$19.61 ฿653

164.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.10 zł 34.53

$5.67 ฿189

60.49%

Cappuccino

$3.45 zł 13.10

$1.81 ฿60.1

90.61%

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

$2.52 zł 9.57

$0.77 ฿25.58

227.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 zł 7.53

$0.35 ฿11.49

465.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 zł 12.06

$2.21 ฿73.7

43.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 zł 15.10

$3.79 ฿126

5.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 zł 4.07

$2.05 ฿68.2

-47.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 zł 5.21

$1.51 ฿50.4

-9.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 zł 5.69

$1.40 ฿46.57

7.14%

Eggs

$4.06 zł 15.42

$2.26 ฿75.2

79.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.13 zł 38.45

$16.19 ฿539

-37.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.73 zł 29.34

$2.90 ฿96.4

166.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.62 zł 59.3

$9.42 ฿314

65.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 zł 4.68

$2.68 ฿89.2

-54.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 zł 6.62

$1.09 ฿36.28

60.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 zł 7.09

$1.62 ฿53.8

15.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 zł 13.25

$1.46 ฿48.61

139.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 zł 3.87

$1.28 ฿42.54

-20.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 zł 4.83

$1.06 ฿35.21

19.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 zł 5.15

$0.72 ฿23.88

88.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 zł 2.86

$0.53 ฿17.51

41.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.72 zł 21.72

$4.23 ฿141

35.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.91 zł 30.02

$18.29 ฿609

-56.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 zł 4.36

$1.63 ฿54.3

-29.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 zł 6.17

$2.90 ฿96.6

-43.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 zł 4.13

$0.88 ฿29.24

23.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.74 zł 102

$53.8 ฿1,790

-50.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.07 zł 7.86

$1.17 ฿39.04

76.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 zł 2.91

$0.58 ฿19.25

32.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.58 zł 40.15

$2.39 ฿79.4

342.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 zł 6.11

$1.45 ฿48.28

11.03%

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

$33.2K zł 126.1K

$21.0K ฿699.5K

58.10%

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

$29.8K zł 113.3K

$26.4K ฿879.7K

12.93%

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

$305 zł 1,157

$63.7 ฿2,119

378.93%

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

$9.77 zł 37.09

$12.89 ฿429

-24.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.85 zł 71.6

$20.52 ฿683

-8.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 zł 200

$39.02 ฿1,299

34.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.45 zł 89.0

$3.92 ฿130

498.21%

Cinema Ticket

$9.43 zł 35.78

$6.58 ฿219

43.31%

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

$403 zł 1,531

$784 ฿26.1K

-48.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K zł 55.4K

$14.7K ฿488.4K

-0.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 zł 393

$55.1 ฿1,835

87.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 zł 192

$24.74 ฿824

104.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 zł 398

$94.1 ฿3,133

11.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 zł 408

$74.0 ฿2,462

45.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 zł 3,487

$490 ฿16.3K

87.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$735 zł 2,791

$288 ฿9,594

155.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,785 zł 6,777

$891 ฿29.7K

100.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,404 zł 5,329

$521 ฿17.3K

169.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,850 zł 14.6K

$1,974 ฿65.7K

95.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,698 zł 10.2K

$1,444 ฿48.1K

86.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,456 zł 5,528

$602 ฿20.0K

142.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.52

5.57

35.01%

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

Last update for Olsztyn: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $919 in Olsztyn versus $490 in Chiang Mai. 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 142% higher in Olsztyn, 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 $52.0 in Olsztyn versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $241 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Olsztyn vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Olsztyn costs about 94% 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 $2,712 per month in Olsztyn and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. 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 $403 per month in Olsztyn and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Olsztyn, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $932, than in Olsztyn at $1,808. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Olsztyn it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $932 versus $1,808 in Olsztyn. 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, Olsztyn makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.