Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Svishtov

For one person, living costs are similar in Chiang Mai and in Svishtov: $935 and $928 a month, rent and utilities included.

Chiang Mai, Thailand
Svishtov, Bulgaria
Chiang Mai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$935
/mo nomad
Svishtov
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$928
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Svishtov

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Svishtov actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $928 in Svishtov, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $935
  • Svishtov $928

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,445 in Svishtov, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,467
  • Svishtov $1,445

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,961 in Svishtov, rent included.

  • Chiang Mai $1,999
  • Svishtov $1,961

Chiang Mai and Svishtov have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chiang Mai
Svishtov
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.13 ฿71.8
$13.26 BGN 23.20
-83.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$18.62 ฿626
$43.92 BGN 76.9
-57.60%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.60 ฿188
$8.35 BGN 14.61
-32.93%
Cappuccino
$1.66 ฿55.9
$2.32 BGN 4.06
-28.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 ฿21.75
$1.06 BGN 1.85
-38.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 ฿10.25
$0.56 BGN 0.98
-46.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.32 ฿78.1
$1.74 BGN 3.05
33.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.67 ฿123
$2.79 BGN 4.88
31.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
Svishtov
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.02 ฿67.8
$1.45 BGN 2.54
39.31%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 ฿47.34
$0.88 BGN 1.54
60.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.39 ฿46.79
$1.67 BGN 2.93
-16.77%
Eggs
$2.37 ฿79.6
$2.67 BGN 4.68
-11.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.52 ฿555
$9.66 BGN 16.91
71.01%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.67 ฿89.8
$5.23 BGN 9.14
-48.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.02 ฿303
$8.81 BGN 15.42
2.38%
Apples (1kg)
$2.40 ฿80.6
$1.46 BGN 2.56
64.38%
Banana (1kg)
$1.04 ฿35.01
$1.12 BGN 1.95
-7.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.66 ฿55.8
$1.11 BGN 1.95
49.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.56 ฿52.4
$2.26 BGN 3.96
-30.97%
Potato (1kg)
$1.24 ฿41.61
$0.71 BGN 1.25
74.65%
Onion (1kg)
$1.09 ฿36.53
$0.48 BGN 0.84
127.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.76 ฿25.61
$0.55 BGN 0.96
38.18%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿17.29
$0.60 BGN 1.05
-15.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.12 ฿139
$3.52 BGN 6.15
17.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.93 ฿603
$6.82 BGN 11.94
162.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 ฿54.6
$1.04 BGN 1.81
55.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 ฿94.9
$1.11 BGN 1.94
154.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Chiang Mai
Svishtov
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.93 ฿31.42
$0.87 BGN 1.53
6.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$52.9 ฿1,778
$25.60 BGN 44.79
106.60%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.18 ฿39.56
$1.41 BGN 2.46
-16.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.17 ฿5.76
$0.66 BGN 1.16
-74.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 ฿60.9
$11.89 BGN 20.82
-84.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.51
$1.43 BGN 2.50
2.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K ฿706.4K
$29.6K BGN 51.9K
-29.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K ฿891.4K
$23.3K BGN 40.8K
13.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
Svishtov
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$62.6 ฿2,103
$103 BGN 180
-39.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.60 ฿390
$14.16 BGN 24.78
-18.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.30 ฿683
$8.59 BGN 15.04
136.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
Svishtov
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.88 ฿1,274
$31.36 BGN 54.9
20.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.70 ฿124
$16.61 BGN 29.08
-77.72%
Cinema Ticket
$6.51 ฿219
$8.37 BGN 14.64
-22.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chiang Mai
Svishtov
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$727 ฿24.4K
$228 BGN 400
218.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K ฿557.2K
$5,922 BGN 10.4K
179.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
Svishtov
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.5 ฿1,800
$50.9 BGN 89.2
5.10%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.80 ฿834
$25.39 BGN 44.43
-2.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.4 ฿3,039
$70.2 BGN 123
28.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.0 ฿2,420
$69.2 BGN 121
4.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
Svishtov
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$481 ฿16.2K
$333 BGN 583
44.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$310 ฿10.4K
$258 BGN 451
20.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,058 ฿35.6K
$541 BGN 947
95.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$659 ฿22.1K
$401 BGN 702
64.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,418 ฿81.3K
$1,308 BGN 2,289
84.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,609 ฿54.1K
$1,079 BGN 1,888
49.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chiang Mai
Svishtov
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$595 ฿20.0K
$1,261 BGN 2,207
-52.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
3.25
71.38%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Svishtov: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Chiang Mai
$310
Svishtov
$258 16.8% $52
Groceries & Markets
Chiang Mai
$237
Svishtov
$186 21.6% $51
Clothing & Footwear
Chiang Mai
$108
Svishtov
$97 10.4% $11
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chiang Mai
$94
Svishtov
$126 33% $31
Eating Out
Chiang Mai
$77
Svishtov
$180 135% $103
Getting Around
Chiang Mai
$59
Svishtov
$34 42.4% $25
Sport & Entertainment
Chiang Mai
$51
Svishtov
$48 5.5% $2.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $333 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 in Svishtov are about 2.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $44 in Svishtov. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Chiang Mai vs $186 in Svishtov – so Svishtov wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Chiang Mai
🇧🇬 Svishtov
🕒 Local time
20:42 8:42 PM
15:42 3:42 PM
5 h behind Chiang Mai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
127,240
33,000
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.69 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.51 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chiang Mai Svishtov 7,280 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chiang Mai
  • Svishtov

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Chiang Mai and in Svishtov?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,391 in Svishtov. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Chiang Mai or Svishtov?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Svishtov, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $333 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.
How do dining costs compare in Chiang Mai and in Svishtov?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai and $44 in Svishtov. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How expensive is transport in Chiang Mai compared to Svishtov?
Public transport costs about 52% less in Svishtov. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Svishtov – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Chiang Mai compared to Svishtov?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

Chiang Mai vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?