Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kyustendil

For one person, living is cheaper in Kyustendil: $796 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
Learn more

Chiang Mai Living Index
39

Cost of Living Index in Kyustendil
Learn more

Kyustendil Living Index

Jump to prices

Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Kyustendil

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$796

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $796 in Kyustendil, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Kyustendil $796

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,225 in Kyustendil, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Kyustendil $1,225

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,653 in Kyustendil, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Kyustendil $1,653

Chiang Mai costs about 18% more than Kyustendil, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Kyustendil are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Kyustendil 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$10.21 BGN 17.76

-77.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

$33.94 BGN 59.1

-43.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

$5.18 BGN 9.01

7.92%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$1.42 BGN 2.47

21.13%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$1.11 BGN 1.93

-42.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

$0.66 BGN 1.14

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

$1.15 BGN 2.00

105.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

$1.44 BGN 2.51

170.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$1.61 BGN 2.80

27.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

$0.71 BGN 1.23

97.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

$1.50 BGN 2.60

-14.67%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$2.31 BGN 4.02

-2.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

$6.85 BGN 11.92

147.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$3.93 BGN 6.83

-30.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

$7.44 BGN 12.95

25.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$0.72 BGN 1.25

233.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$1.68 BGN 2.92

-39.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$1.11 BGN 1.93

45.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$1.58 BGN 2.75

-3.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

$0.61 BGN 1.06

109.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

$0.55 BGN 0.96

101.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

$0.56 BGN 0.97

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$0.62 BGN 1.08

-16.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$3.47 BGN 6.03

24.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

$4.07 BGN 7.08

335.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$0.82 BGN 1.42

98.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

$0.65 BGN 1.14

338.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

$0.90 BGN 1.57

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

$24.57 BGN 42.76

119.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$1.28 BGN 2.23

-8.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

$0.66 BGN 1.14

-13.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

$11.21 BGN 19.50

-78.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$1.61 BGN 2.80

-9.94%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

$14.2K BGN 24.7K

43.96%

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

$13.3K BGN 23.1K

99.33%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$92.8 BGN 162

-32.86%

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

$12.27 ฿410

$14.89 BGN 25.91

-17.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

$12.09 BGN 21.03

65.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$30.34 BGN 52.8

24.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

$17.35 BGN 30.19

-78.33%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

$3.98 BGN 6.92

68.59%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

$114 BGN 198

601.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

$2,325 BGN 4,045

537.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$30.00 BGN 52.2

77.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

$19.59 BGN 34.08

27.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

$60.9 BGN 106

50.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

$45.29 BGN 78.8

62.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

$336 BGN 585

38.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

$252 BGN 439

20.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

$554 BGN 963

65.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$402 BGN 700

37.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

$1,315 BGN 2,287

45.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

$1,054 BGN 1,833

36.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$646 BGN 1,125

-7.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

2.99

86.29%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Kyustendil: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Kyustendil

$252 31.7% 17.2% $52

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Kyustendil

$153 19.2% 35.7% $85

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Kyustendil

$70 8.8% 36% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Kyustendil

$120 15.1% 26.7% $25

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Kyustendil

$130 16.3% 64.5% $51

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Kyustendil

$33 4.1% 46.6% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Kyustendil

$38 4.8% 25.4% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $336 in Kyustendil. 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 9% higher in Kyustendil, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $34.00 in Kyustendil. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Chiang Mai vs $153 in Kyustendil – so Kyustendil wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇧🇬 Kyustendil

🕒 Local time

12:33 12:33 PM

08:33 8:33 AM

4 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

47,640

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Kyustendil 7,510 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Kyustendil

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 18% more than Kyustendil, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,194 in Kyustendil. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kyustendil, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $797 per month in Chiang Mai and $114 in Kyustendil. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 55% more in Chiang Mai, 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 Kyustendil, where all-in costs run around $796, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Kyustendil it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kyustendil costs $796 versus $938 in Chiang Mai. 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 Kyustendil. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.