Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rumia and Chiang Mai

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $1,466 in Rumia, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

70

Cost of Living Index in Rumia
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Rumia Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index

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Rumia

🇵🇱 Poland

$1,466

/mo nomad

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rumia and in Chiang Mai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rumia and in Chiang Mai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,466 per month in Rumia vs $935 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Rumia $1,466
Chiang Mai $935

A couple spends around $2,070 per month in Rumia vs $1,467 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Rumia $2,070
Chiang Mai $1,467

A family of three spends $2,674 per month in Rumia vs $1,999 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Rumia $2,674
Chiang Mai $1,999

Rumia costs about 57% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Rumia sits 8% above the global median, while Chiang Mai is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.06 zł 39.45

$2.13 ฿71.4

372.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.30 zł 119

$18.62 ฿623

62.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.79 zł 26.62

$5.60 ฿187

21.25%

Cappuccino

$3.62 zł 14.18

$1.66 ฿55.6

118.07%

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

$2.02 zł 7.94

$0.65 ฿21.63

210.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 zł 6.40

$0.30 ฿10.20

443.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.41 zł 13.37

$2.32 ฿77.7

46.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 zł 14.83

$3.67 ฿123

3.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 zł 3.68

$2.02 ฿67.4

-53.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 zł 4.87

$1.41 ฿47.08

-12.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 zł 5.19

$1.39 ฿46.54

-5.04%

Eggs

$3.68 zł 14.42

$2.37 ฿79.2

55.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.63 zł 33.85

$16.52 ฿552

-47.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.46 zł 25.32

$2.67 ฿89.3

141.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.91 zł 46.71

$9.02 ฿302

32.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 zł 4.15

$2.40 ฿80.2

-55.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 zł 6.51

$1.04 ฿34.82

59.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 zł 6.35

$1.66 ฿55.5

-2.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.61 zł 10.25

$1.56 ฿52.1

67.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 zł 3.51

$1.24 ฿41.39

-27.42%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 zł 3.89

$1.09 ฿36.34

-9.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 zł 4.89

$0.76 ฿25.47

64.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 zł 3.95

$0.51 ฿17.19

98.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.29 zł 20.75

$4.12 ฿138

28.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.42 zł 25.16

$17.93 ฿600

-64.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 zł 4.40

$1.62 ฿54.3

-30.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 zł 5.89

$2.82 ฿94.4

-46.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 zł 4.91

$0.93 ฿31.25

34.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.12 zł 126

$52.9 ฿1,769

-39.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 zł 7.89

$1.18 ฿39.35

70.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 zł 2.92

$0.17 ฿5.73

335.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.10 zł 39.60

$1.81 ฿60.6

458.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 zł 6.75

$1.47 ฿49.25

17.01%

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

$30.7K zł 120.5K

$21.0K ฿702.6K

46.33%

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

$27.4K zł 107.6K

$26.5K ฿886.7K

3.49%

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

$284 zł 1,112

$62.6 ฿2,092

353.23%

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

$8.36 zł 32.76

$11.60 ฿388

-27.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.06 zł 66.9

$20.30 ฿679

-15.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.01 zł 149

$37.88 ฿1,267

0.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.90 zł 85.9

$3.70 ฿124

491.89%

Cinema Ticket

$7.15 zł 28.03

$6.51 ฿218

9.83%

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

$364 zł 1,427

$727 ฿24.3K

-49.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,132 zł 31.9K

$16.6K ฿554.2K

-50.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.1 zł 314

$53.5 ฿1,790

49.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.22 zł 162

$24.80 ฿829

66.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.7 zł 344

$90.4 ฿3,023

-2.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 zł 389

$72.0 ฿2,407

37.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$598 zł 2,346

$481 ฿16.1K

24.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 zł 2,063

$310 ฿10.4K

69.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 zł 3,864

$1,058 ฿35.4K

-6.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$814 zł 3,190

$659 ฿22.0K

23.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,906 zł 11.4K

$2,418 ฿80.8K

20.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,221 zł 8,707

$1,609 ฿53.8K

38.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,466 zł 5,747

$595 ฿19.9K

146.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.74

5.57

21.01%

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

Last update for Rumia: November 3, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Rumia

$526 35.9%

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1% 41.1% $216

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rumia

$309 21.1%

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1% 69.4% $214

Groceries & Markets

Rumia

$214 14.6%

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3% 10.7% $23

Eating Out

Rumia

$184 12.5%

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2% 58.3% $107

Clothing & Footwear

Rumia

$139 9.5%

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6% 21.9% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Rumia

$52 3.6%

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4% 2.7% $1.4

Getting Around

Rumia

$43 2.9%

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3% 36.8% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $598 in Rumia versus $481 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 in Rumia are about 2.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30 in Rumia versus $19 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $214 in Rumia vs $237 in Chiang Mai – so Rumia wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇵🇱 Rumia

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🕒 Local time

13:26 1:26 PM

19:26 7:26 PM

6 h ahead of Rumia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

49,672

127,240

💱 Currency

Polish Złoty PLN zł

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 PLN = 0.255 USD

1 PLN = 0.227 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to PLN – Polish Złoty Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇱 Polish Złoty (zł)

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3.92 PLN (1 PLN = 0.255 USD). 1 EUR = 4.4 PLN (1 PLN = 0.227 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.44 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.56 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

USD to PLN in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Rumia Chiang Mai 7,710 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Rumia
Chiang Mai

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

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

Rumia costs about 57% 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,200 per month in Rumia and $1,403 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $481 there versus $598 in Rumia.

Kindergarten costs $364 per month in Rumia and $727 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 10% cheaper in Rumia – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,466 in Rumia and $935 in Chiang Mai. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $935 in Chiang Mai to $1,466 in Rumia. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rumia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.