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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $845 in Yambol, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,310 in Yambol, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,774 in Yambol, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Yambol, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Yambol are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Yambol 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$9.09 BGN 15.12

-78.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$29.98 BGN 49.88

-37.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$6.67 BGN 11.10

16.19%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.44 BGN 2.39

33.33%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.44 BGN 2.39

-45.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$0.61 BGN 1.01

-40.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.80 BGN 3.00

22.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.42 BGN 4.02

51.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.82 BGN 3.03

-9.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$1.01 BGN 1.69

61.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$2.10 BGN 3.49

-43.33%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$3.10 BGN 5.16

-35.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$9.26 BGN 15.41

72.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$7.74 BGN 12.88

-60.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$6.07 BGN 10.10

78.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$1.56 BGN 2.59

76.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.70 BGN 2.83

-30.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.67 BGN 2.77

-1.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.58 BGN 2.62

-3.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.99 BGN 1.65

39.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.89 BGN 1.48

33.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$1.04 BGN 1.74

-32.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.72 BGN 1.19

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$3.46 BGN 5.75

32.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$4.80 BGN 7.98

245.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.08 BGN 1.80

69.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.73 BGN 2.89

84.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.92 BGN 1.53

-4.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$29.87 BGN 49.70

-37.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.20 BGN 1.99

13.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.73 BGN 1.22

83.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$10.56 BGN 17.56

-25.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.53 BGN 2.55

-19.61%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$31.9K BGN 53.1K

-32.27%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$27.8K BGN 46.2K

-18.83%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$94.8 BGN 158

-25.61%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$16.24 BGN 27.01

-15.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$15.07 BGN 25.08

15.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$28.00 BGN 46.59

47.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$14.75 BGN 24.54

-52.81%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$8.67 BGN 14.42

-33.45%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$419 BGN 697

-26.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$7,125 BGN 11.9K

105.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$60.4 BGN 100

-7.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$22.13 BGN 36.82

18.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$98.5 BGN 164

-12.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$61.5 BGN 102

17.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$267 BGN 444

61.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$189 BGN 315

26.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$389 BGN 647

110.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$308 BGN 513

65.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,375 BGN 2,288

44.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,218 BGN 2,026

21.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$1,288 BGN 2,143

-51.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

11.36%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Yambol: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $267 in Yambol. 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 108% higher in Yambol, 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 $30.00 in Yambol. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $202 in Yambol – so Yambol 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 Yambol: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 3% more than Yambol, 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,268 in Yambol. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yambol, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $419 in Yambol. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $845 in Yambol, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Yambol costs $845 versus $869 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 Yambol. 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.