Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Troyan

For one person, living is cheaper in Chiang Mai: $935 a month against $1,115 in Troyan, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
54

Cost of Living Index in Troyan
Learn more

Troyan Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$935

/mo nomad

Troyan

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,115

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Troyan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $935 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,115 in Troyan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $935
Troyan $1,115

A couple spends around $1,467 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,744 in Troyan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,467
Troyan $1,744

A family of three spends $1,999 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,372 in Troyan, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,999
Troyan $2,372

Chiang Mai is about 16% cheaper than Troyan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chiang Mai and Troyan are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Troyan 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.8

$16.70 BGN 29.22

-87.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.62 ฿626

$50.6 BGN 88.5

-63.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ฿188

$8.71 BGN 15.23

-35.71%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ฿55.9

$1.46 BGN 2.56

13.70%

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

$0.65 ฿21.75

$1.41 BGN 2.47

-53.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿10.25

$1.04 BGN 1.82

-71.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ฿78.1

$1.46 BGN 2.55

58.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿123

$1.75 BGN 3.07

109.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.79 BGN 3.14

12.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.34

$0.53 BGN 0.92

166.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.79

$2.21 BGN 3.87

-37.10%

Eggs

$2.37 ฿79.6

$2.70 BGN 4.72

-12.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.52 ฿555

$8.67 BGN 15.18

90.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 ฿89.8

$8.67 BGN 15.18

-69.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ฿303

$17.29 BGN 30.25

-47.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.6

$1.13 BGN 1.97

112.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿35.01

$1.64 BGN 2.87

-36.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ฿55.8

$1.90 BGN 3.33

-12.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$4.22 BGN 7.38

-63.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.61

$0.83 BGN 1.45

49.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.53

$0.87 BGN 1.53

25.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 ฿25.61

$1.20 BGN 2.09

-36.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.29

$0.67 BGN 1.18

-23.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ฿139

$3.55 BGN 6.20

16.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.93 ฿603

$7.55 BGN 13.21

137.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ฿54.6

$0.87 BGN 1.52

86.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ฿94.9

$1.85 BGN 3.24

52.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 ฿31.42

$0.87 BGN 1.52

6.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 ฿1,778

$25.85 BGN 45.25

104.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.56

$0.99 BGN 1.73

19.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.17 ฿5.76

$0.71 BGN 1.24

-76.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$15.79 BGN 27.63

-88.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.51

$1.58 BGN 2.77

-6.96%

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

$21.0K ฿706.4K

$30.2K BGN 52.9K

-30.47%

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

$26.5K ฿891.4K

$25.7K BGN 45.0K

3.15%

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

$62.6 ฿2,103

$157 BGN 274

-60.05%

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

$11.60 ฿390

$19.66 BGN 34.40

-41.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.30 ฿683

$12.10 BGN 21.18

67.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.88 ฿1,274

$31.66 BGN 55.4

19.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.70 ฿124

$16.96 BGN 29.67

-78.18%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ฿219

$6.22 BGN 10.89

4.66%

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

$727 ฿24.4K

$503 BGN 880

44.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ฿557.2K

$5,887 BGN 10.3K

181.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ฿1,800

$89.6 BGN 157

-40.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.80 ฿834

$28.17 BGN 49.30

-11.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 ฿3,039

$108 BGN 189

-16.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 ฿2,420

$106 BGN 186

-32.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 ฿16.2K

$336 BGN 588

43.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ฿10.4K

$253 BGN 442

22.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 ฿35.6K

$541 BGN 947

95.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 ฿22.1K

$404 BGN 707

63.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,418 ฿81.3K

$1,307 BGN 2,287

85.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,609 ฿54.1K

$1,088 BGN 1,905

47.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿20.0K

$858 BGN 1,501

-30.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

2.89

92.73%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: November 1, 2026

Last update for Troyan: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$310 33.1%

Troyan

$253 22.7% 18.4% $57

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$237 25.3%

Troyan

$249 22.3% 5% $12

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$108 11.6%

Troyan

$149 13.4% 38% $41

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$94 10.1%

Troyan

$188 16.9% 99.4% $94

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$77 8.2%

Troyan

$198 17.8% 158% $121

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$59 6.3%

Troyan

$34 3% 42.2% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.4%

Troyan

$44 4% 13.4% $6.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $481 in Chiang Mai versus $336 in Troyan. 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 44% higher in Troyan. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Chiang Mai versus $51 in Troyan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $249 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇧🇬 Troyan

🕒 Local time

22:22 10:22 PM

17:22 5:22 PM

5 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

23,422

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1 BGN = 0.571 USD

1 BGN = 0.51 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

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).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Troyan 7,340 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Troyan

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 Troyan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Troyan costs about 19% more than Chiang Mai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,403 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,672 in Troyan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Troyan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $336 there versus $481 in Chiang Mai.

Kindergarten costs $727 per month in Chiang Mai and $503 in Troyan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Troyan, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $935 in Chiang Mai and $1,115 in Troyan. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chiang Mai has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $935 in Chiang Mai to $1,115 in Troyan. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Troyan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.