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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $878 in Shumen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,375 in Shumen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,872 in Shumen, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 3% cheaper than Shumen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Shumen are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Shumen 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$9.76 BGN 16.30

-79.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$30.01 BGN 50.1

-37.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.66 BGN 14.47

-8.55%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.66 BGN 2.77

15.06%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.38 BGN 2.30

-39.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.70 BGN 1.16

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.98 BGN 3.31

11.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.37 BGN 3.95

60.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.68 BGN 2.81

-2.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.96 BGN 1.60

68.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.87 BGN 3.13

-36.90%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$3.02 BGN 5.04

-33.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$9.69 BGN 16.19

63.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$5.90 BGN 9.85

-48.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$11.53 BGN 19.26

-6.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.75 BGN 2.93

49.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$2.07 BGN 3.46

-41.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$2.05 BGN 3.42

-17.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.28 BGN 3.81

-30.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$1.50 BGN 2.50

-12.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.38 BGN 2.30

-15.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.97 BGN 1.62

-30.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.79 BGN 1.31

-29.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$3.63 BGN 6.07

24.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$7.27 BGN 12.15

150.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.00 BGN 1.67

83.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.62 BGN 2.70

99.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.89 BGN 1.48

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$26.38 BGN 44.06

-26.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.26 BGN 2.10

7.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.31 BGN 0.51

335.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$13.29 BGN 22.20

-37.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.49 BGN 2.49

-14.77%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$32.6K BGN 54.5K

-35.12%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$25.6K BGN 42.8K

-12.32%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$95.1 BGN 159

-26.27%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$16.85 BGN 28.14

-18.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$14.05 BGN 23.46

25.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$39.44 BGN 65.9

5.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$11.87 BGN 19.82

-44.40%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$7.17 BGN 11.98

-19.39%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$235 BGN 392

30.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$10.6K BGN 17.7K

40.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$54.6 BGN 91.2

-0.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$41.70 BGN 69.6

-37.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$83.4 BGN 139

1.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$72.4 BGN 121

-4.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$278 BGN 464

52.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$189 BGN 315

26.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$494 BGN 826

66.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$324 BGN 541

59.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,299 BGN 2,169

57.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,039 BGN 1,735

46.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$1,053 BGN 1,759

-39.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.57

9.41%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Shumen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $278 in Shumen. 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 66% higher in Shumen, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $30.00 in Shumen. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $223 in Shumen – so Shumen 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

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

Shumen costs about 3% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,317 in Shumen. 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $235 in Shumen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Shumen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $878 in Shumen, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $878 in Shumen. 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, Shumen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.