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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,220 in Burgas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,845 in Burgas, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,471 in Burgas, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 22% cheaper than Burgas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Burgas are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Burgas 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.4

$14.42 BGN 24.00

-85.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$47.79 BGN 79.5

-58.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿192

$10.76 BGN 17.90

-46.19%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.5

$3.60 BGN 5.98

-49.17%

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

$0.78 ฿25.63

$1.10 BGN 1.84

-29.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.38

$0.77 BGN 1.27

-59.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.3

$2.10 BGN 3.50

11.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$2.88 BGN 4.80

28.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.73 BGN 2.88

17.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.8

$1.00 BGN 1.66

60.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.80

$2.18 BGN 3.62

-34.86%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿72.0

$3.55 BGN 5.91

-38.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$9.39 BGN 15.62

69.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$7.99 BGN 13.29

-61.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$11.62 BGN 19.33

-15.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.9

$2.16 BGN 3.59

21.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.23

$2.11 BGN 3.51

-47.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.9

$1.99 BGN 3.31

-18.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$2.71 BGN 4.50

-43.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.16

$1.40 BGN 2.33

-11.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.40

$1.39 BGN 2.31

-18.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.41

$1.02 BGN 1.70

-27.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.50

$0.82 BGN 1.37

-39.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿142

$3.73 BGN 6.20

14.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$7.31 BGN 12.16

145.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.2

$1.06 BGN 1.76

60.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.92 BGN 3.20

51.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.15

$0.95 BGN 1.58

-1.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,828

$35.55 BGN 59.2

55.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.80

$1.82 BGN 3.03

-32.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.67

$0.74 BGN 1.23

-28.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.4

$12.25 BGN 20.37

-80.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.60

$1.66 BGN 2.76

-13.25%

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

$21.2K ฿700.9K

$30.7K BGN 51.1K

-31.04%

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

$27.3K ฿903.0K

$23.3K BGN 38.8K

17.21%

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

$64.9 ฿2,147

$108 BGN 180

-39.85%

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

$13.35 ฿442

$15.32 BGN 25.48

-12.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿689

$12.18 BGN 20.26

71.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,337

$39.40 BGN 65.5

2.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$14.90 BGN 24.78

-73.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$8.90 BGN 14.81

-24.61%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$236 BGN 393

233.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿500.1K

$15.2K BGN 25.3K

-0.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,859

$60.6 BGN 101

-7.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿825

$30.86 BGN 51.3

-19.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,066

$72.9 BGN 121

27.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,484

$77.5 BGN 129

-3.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$529 BGN 880

-8.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,500

$427 BGN 711

-32.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$825 BGN 1,373

10.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$652 BGN 1,085

-18.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.5K

$2,581 BGN 4,294

-23.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿48.0K

$1,879 BGN 3,127

-22.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$1,040 BGN 1,731

-41.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

3.25

71.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Burgas: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $529 in Burgas. 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 72% higher in Burgas, 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $48.00 in Burgas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $243 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $950 in Chiang Mai, $1,220 in Burgas – roughly 28% apart. Burgas costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,830 in Burgas. 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.

Public transport costs about 56% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $236 in Burgas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Burgas at $1,220. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Burgas it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Burgas has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $950 in Chiang Mai to $1,220 in Burgas. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Burgas makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.