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 $1,455 per month in Olsztyn vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,981 per month in Olsztyn vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,506 per month in Olsztyn vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Olsztyn costs about 69% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Olsztyn sits 9% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.64 zł 40.34

$1.96 ฿65.7

442.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.03 zł 174

$18.35 ฿616

150.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 zł 28.57

$7.48 ฿251

0.80%

Cappuccino

$3.02 zł 11.46

$2.02 ฿67.7

49.50%

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

$1.69 zł 6.40

$0.85 ฿28.45

98.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 zł 7.21

$0.36 ฿11.94

427.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 zł 12.50

$2.14 ฿71.7

54.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 zł 14.52

$3.59 ฿121

6.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 zł 3.98

$1.65 ฿55.4

-36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 zł 5.16

$1.57 ฿52.6

-13.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 zł 5.65

$1.19 ฿39.95

25.21%

Eggs

$3.27 zł 12.40

$1.94 ฿65.0

68.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 zł 33.62

$16.19 ฿544

-45.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.02 zł 22.82

$2.99 ฿100

101.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.81 zł 37.16

$10.94 ฿367

-10.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 zł 4.32

$2.71 ฿91.0

-57.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 zł 5.67

$1.17 ฿39.18

28.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 zł 7.61

$1.69 ฿56.6

18.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.69 zł 10.20

$1.60 ฿53.9

68.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 zł 2.84

$1.38 ฿46.45

-45.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 zł 4.52

$1.20 ฿40.38

-0.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 zł 4.38

$0.67 ฿22.46

71.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 zł 2.77

$0.56 ฿18.70

30.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.44 zł 20.61

$4.64 ฿156

17.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.04 zł 30.48

$17.62 ฿591

-54.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 zł 3.75

$1.86 ฿62.4

-46.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 zł 6.49

$3.30 ฿111

-48.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 zł 4.04

$0.88 ฿29.63

21.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.54 zł 104

$19.34 ฿649

42.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 zł 7.54

$1.36 ฿45.82

46.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 zł 2.70

$1.34 ฿44.90

-47.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.84 zł 52.4

$8.21 ฿276

68.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 zł 6.64

$1.22 ฿41.11

43.44%

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

$33.3K zł 126.1K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

55.79%

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

$31.2K zł 118.2K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

38.41%

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

$278 zł 1,053

$70.7 ฿2,372

293.05%

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

$9.00 zł 34.13

$14.04 ฿471

-35.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.01 zł 64.5

$17.49 ฿587

-2.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.99 zł 125

$42.15 ฿1,415

-21.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.57 zł 62.8

$6.88 ฿231

140.84%

Cinema Ticket

$8.12 zł 30.76

$5.92 ฿199

37.16%

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

$136 zł 515

$309 ฿10.4K

-55.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K zł 59.9K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

6.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.4 zł 365

$55.8 ฿1,872

72.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.27 zł 179

$26.11 ฿877

81.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 zł 307

$83.0 ฿2,787

-2.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 zł 422

$70.5 ฿2,365

58.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 zł 2,427

$432 ฿14.5K

48.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$532 zł 2,016

$239 ฿8,020

122.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$958 zł 3,631

$822 ฿27.6K

16.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 zł 2,260

$512 ฿17.2K

16.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,909 zł 14.8K

$1,915 ฿64.3K

104.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,714 zł 10.3K

$1,467 ฿49.3K

84.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,425 zł 5,402

$579 ฿19.4K

145.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.81

16.20%

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

Last update for Olsztyn: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $640 in Olsztyn versus $432 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 146% 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 $46.00 in Olsztyn versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $208 in Olsztyn vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Olsztyn 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

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

Olsztyn costs about 69% 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 $2,182 per month in Olsztyn and $1,292 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 $136 per month in Olsztyn and $309 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 17% cheaper in Olsztyn – 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 Olsztyn at $1,455. 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 $861 versus $1,455 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.