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 $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $919 in Silistra, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,364 in Silistra, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,809 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 36% lower, Silistra 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$10.72 BGN 17.83

-81.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$25.59 BGN 42.57

-28.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$9.00 BGN 14.97

-16.89%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.72 BGN 2.87

17.44%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$1.17 BGN 1.94

-27.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$0.65 BGN 1.08

-44.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$1.94 BGN 3.23

10.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.72 BGN 4.53

31.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.63 BGN 2.71

1.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.95 BGN 1.58

65.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.87 BGN 3.12

-36.36%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$3.31 BGN 5.50

-41.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$9.17 BGN 15.26

76.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$7.88 BGN 13.11

-62.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$11.53 BGN 19.17

-5.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.93 BGN 3.22

40.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$2.12 BGN 3.52

-44.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$2.01 BGN 3.34

-15.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.51 BGN 4.18

-36.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$1.46 BGN 2.42

-5.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$1.35 BGN 2.25

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$1.05 BGN 1.74

-36.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.83 BGN 1.38

-32.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.63 BGN 6.03

27.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$5.19 BGN 8.64

239.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$0.94 BGN 1.56

97.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.73 BGN 2.88

90.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.62 BGN 1.03

41.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$26.41 BGN 43.94

-26.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$1.20 BGN 1.99

13.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.71 BGN 1.18

88.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$6.05 BGN 10.06

35.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.46 BGN 2.43

-16.44%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$32.5K BGN 54.0K

-34.23%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$25.6K BGN 42.5K

-11.90%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$94.8 BGN 158

-25.42%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$16.72 BGN 27.82

-16.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$14.08 BGN 23.42

24.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$31.80 BGN 52.9

32.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$14.54 BGN 24.19

-52.68%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$7.12 BGN 11.84

-16.85%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$233 BGN 388

32.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$4,159 BGN 6,919

257.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$59.6 BGN 99.1

-6.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$29.12 BGN 48.45

-10.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$71.5 BGN 119

16.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$72.0 BGN 120

-2.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$235 BGN 391

83.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$210 BGN 349

14.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$339 BGN 564

142.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$258 BGN 430

98.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,389 BGN 2,311

37.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$972 BGN 1,617

50.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$735 BGN 1,223

-21.21%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Silistra: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $235 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 27% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $26.00 in Silistra. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $231 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 7% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,379 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $233 in Silistra. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $919 in Silistra, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $919 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.