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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $761 in Sliven, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,207 in Sliven, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,653 in Sliven, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Sliven, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Sliven are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Sliven 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$8.77 BGN 14.59

-77.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$35.75 BGN 59.5

-47.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$8.71 BGN 14.49

-10.22%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.84 BGN 3.06

5.98%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.27 BGN 2.11

-33.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.91 BGN 1.51

-61.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.74 BGN 2.90

22.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.29 BGN 3.81

62.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.59 BGN 2.64

7.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.80 BGN 1.33

103.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$2.21 BGN 3.68

-48.42%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.15 BGN 3.57

-10.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$8.08 BGN 13.44

100.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.51 BGN 9.16

-43.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$6.94 BGN 11.54

57.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.45 BGN 2.40

89.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.72 BGN 2.86

-29.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.48 BGN 2.47

9.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.26 BGN 3.75

-29.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.51 BGN 0.85

174.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.90 BGN 1.51

30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.05 BGN 1.74

-37.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.48 BGN 0.79

10.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.53 BGN 5.87

32.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$6.20 BGN 10.31

200.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.04 BGN 1.74

73.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.27 BGN 2.12

154.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.74 BGN 1.23

21.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$36.12 BGN 60.1

-46.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.16 BGN 1.94

21.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.77 BGN 1.29

67.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$8.96 BGN 14.90

-12.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.43 BGN 2.37

-11.19%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$31.9K BGN 53.1K

-33.39%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$27.8K BGN 46.2K

-20.08%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$89.0 BGN 148

-22.39%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$17.99 BGN 29.94

-21.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$9.21 BGN 15.33

95.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$23.18 BGN 38.57

77.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$14.92 BGN 24.82

-53.35%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.03 BGN 10.04

-1.82%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$422 BGN 703

-29.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$7,038 BGN 11.7K

112.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$60.0 BGN 99.8

-8.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$23.21 BGN 38.62

15.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$69.6 BGN 116

22.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$64.6 BGN 107

9.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$233 BGN 387

84.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$150 BGN 249

58.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$336 BGN 559

138.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$269 BGN 447

91.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,181 BGN 1,965

67.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$965 BGN 1,605

52.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$1,395 BGN 2,320

-55.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

17.65%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sliven: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $233 in Sliven. 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 126% higher in Sliven, 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 $36.00 in Sliven. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $182 in Sliven – so Sliven 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 Sliven: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Sliven, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,141 in Sliven. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sliven, 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 $422 in Sliven. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $761 in Sliven, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sliven costs $761 versus $866 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 Sliven. 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.