Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Veliko Tarnovo Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Veliko Tarnovo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $952 in Veliko Tarnovo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,535 in Veliko Tarnovo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,118 in Veliko Tarnovo, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 9% cheaper than Veliko Tarnovo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Veliko Tarnovo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Veliko Tarnovo 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$10.28 BGN 17.10

-81.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$41.04 BGN 68.3

-54.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$8.77 BGN 14.60

-10.83%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.89 BGN 3.14

3.17%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.37 BGN 2.27

-37.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.67 BGN 1.11

-47.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.96 BGN 3.26

8.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.87 BGN 4.78

29.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.63 BGN 2.70

4.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.95 BGN 1.59

71.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.87 BGN 3.12

-39.04%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$3.39 BGN 5.64

-43.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$9.61 BGN 15.99

68.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$8.04 BGN 13.38

-61.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$11.58 BGN 19.26

-5.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.64 BGN 2.73

67.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$2.11 BGN 3.50

-42.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.97 BGN 3.28

-17.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.56 BGN 4.25

-37.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$1.14 BGN 1.90

22.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.30 BGN 2.16

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$1.06 BGN 1.76

-37.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.77 BGN 1.29

-31.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.56 BGN 5.92

31.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$6.96 BGN 11.59

168.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.96 BGN 1.59

87.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.68 BGN 2.80

92.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.89 BGN 1.49

1.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$33.54 BGN 55.8

-42.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.17 BGN 1.95

20.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.63 BGN 1.05

104.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$11.58 BGN 19.26

-32.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.49 BGN 2.47

-14.77%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$32.7K BGN 54.5K

-35.02%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$25.8K BGN 42.9K

-13.94%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$93.7 BGN 156

-26.26%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$16.56 BGN 27.56

-14.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$13.12 BGN 21.83

37.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$36.02 BGN 59.9

13.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$22.08 BGN 36.73

-68.48%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.94 BGN 11.54

-14.70%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$232 BGN 386

28.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$4,137 BGN 6,882

261.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$45.02 BGN 74.9

21.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$29.43 BGN 48.96

-9.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$83.2 BGN 138

2.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$70.5 BGN 117

0.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$360 BGN 600

18.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$261 BGN 434

-9.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$572 BGN 952

40.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$433 BGN 721

18.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,499 BGN 4,157

-20.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,394 BGN 2,320

5.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$957 BGN 1,592

-35.50%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Veliko Tarnovo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $360 in Veliko Tarnovo. 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 55% higher in Veliko Tarnovo, 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 $41.00 in Veliko Tarnovo. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $234 in Veliko Tarnovo – so Veliko Tarnovo 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 Veliko Tarnovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Veliko Tarnovo costs about 10% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,428 in Veliko Tarnovo. 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $232 in Veliko Tarnovo. 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 Veliko Tarnovo – 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 $866 in Chiang Mai and $952 in Veliko Tarnovo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $952 in Veliko Tarnovo. 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, Veliko Tarnovo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.