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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $960 in Svishtov, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,500 in Svishtov, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,041 in Svishtov, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 11% cheaper than Svishtov, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Svishtov are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Svishtov 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$12.03 BGN 20.09

-83.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$49.86 BGN 83.3

-62.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$8.73 BGN 14.58

-9.28%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$2.42 BGN 4.04

-21.07%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.80 BGN 3.00

-53.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$0.61 BGN 1.03

-42.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.74 BGN 2.91

27.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$3.00 BGN 5.01

26.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.44 BGN 2.40

13.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.92 BGN 1.53

76.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.72 BGN 2.88

-31.40%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.77 BGN 4.63

-27.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$10.10 BGN 16.86

57.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$5.22 BGN 8.71

-42.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$9.05 BGN 15.11

19.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$1.44 BGN 2.41

81.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.15 BGN 1.91

6.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.13 BGN 1.89

50.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$2.40 BGN 4.00

-34.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.73 BGN 1.22

80.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.48 BGN 0.81

143.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.61 BGN 1.01

9.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.57 BGN 0.95

-1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$3.72 BGN 6.22

21.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$5.90 BGN 9.85

208.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.04 BGN 1.74

75.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.21 BGN 2.02

166.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.86 BGN 1.44

3.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$26.95 BGN 45.00

-28.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.44 BGN 2.41

-6.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.67 BGN 1.12

101.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$14.36 BGN 23.98

-42.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.53 BGN 2.56

-16.99%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$31.8K BGN 53.1K

-33.52%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$29.3K BGN 48.9K

-23.26%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$146 BGN 244

-51.89%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$17.85 BGN 29.81

-22.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$8.60 BGN 14.36

104.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$29.05 BGN 48.51

43.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$15.02 BGN 25.09

-56.06%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$8.79 BGN 14.69

-34.24%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$637 BGN 1,063

-51.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$5,468 BGN 9,132

171.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$52.5 BGN 87.7

3.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$26.66 BGN 44.51

-1.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$84.6 BGN 141

-0.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$71.3 BGN 119

-2.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$292 BGN 488

44.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$229 BGN 383

3.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$466 BGN 779

76.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$352 BGN 587

46.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,362 BGN 2,275

50.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,087 BGN 1,816

40.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$1,314 BGN 2,194

-51.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.09

61.81%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Last update for Svishtov: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $292 in Svishtov. 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 107% higher in Svishtov, 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 $50.0 in Svishtov. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $188 in Svishtov – so Svishtov 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 Svishtov: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Svishtov costs about 13% 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 $1,440 in Svishtov. 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 $637 in Svishtov. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 30% cheaper in Svishtov – 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 $960 in Svishtov, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $960 in Svishtov. 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, Svishtov makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.