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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $922 in Silistra, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,357 in Silistra, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,792 in Silistra, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 6% cheaper than Silistra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Silistra are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Silistra 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$10.74 BGN 17.86

-81.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$24.98 BGN 41.56

-25.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$8.98 BGN 14.94

-12.92%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.81 BGN 3.02

7.73%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.20 BGN 2.00

-29.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.67 BGN 1.11

-47.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.87 BGN 3.12

13.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.57 BGN 4.28

45.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.69 BGN 2.80

1.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.90 BGN 1.51

81.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.95 BGN 3.24

-41.54%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$3.29 BGN 5.47

-41.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$9.20 BGN 15.31

76.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.75 BGN 12.89

-59.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$11.70 BGN 19.46

-6.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.93 BGN 3.20

42.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.03 BGN 3.39

-40.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$2.08 BGN 3.46

-22.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.48 BGN 4.13

-35.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.43 BGN 2.38

-2.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.36 BGN 2.26

-13.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.05 BGN 1.75

-37.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.76 BGN 1.27

-30.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.70 BGN 6.15

26.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$5.39 BGN 8.96

246.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.96 BGN 1.60

87.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.75 BGN 2.92

84.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.57 BGN 0.95

57.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$26.46 BGN 44.02

-27.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.20 BGN 1.99

17.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.68 BGN 1.13

89.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.86 BGN 9.74

33.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.53 BGN 2.55

-16.99%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$31.9K BGN 53.1K

-33.28%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$25.8K BGN 43.0K

-13.98%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$93.7 BGN 156

-26.29%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$16.47 BGN 27.41

-14.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$13.85 BGN 23.04

29.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$31.88 BGN 53.0

28.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$14.76 BGN 24.56

-52.85%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$7.25 BGN 12.06

-18.34%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$234 BGN 390

27.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$4,177 BGN 6,949

257.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$58.6 BGN 97.5

-6.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$29.77 BGN 49.53

-10.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$70.9 BGN 118

19.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$70.4 BGN 117

0.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$233 BGN 388

83.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$206 BGN 342

15.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$340 BGN 566

135.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$253 BGN 420

104.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,340 BGN 2,229

47.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,078 BGN 1,793

36.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$752 BGN 1,252

-17.92%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Silistra: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $233 in Silistra. 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 22% higher in Silistra, 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 $25.00 in Silistra. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $230 in Silistra – so Silistra 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 Silistra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Silistra costs about 6% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,383 in Silistra. 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $234 in Silistra. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Silistra – 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $922 in Silistra, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $922 in Silistra. 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, Silistra makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.