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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $855 in Yambol, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,314 in Yambol, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,774 in Yambol, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$8.59 BGN 14.28

-76.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$28.98 BGN 48.20

-35.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$6.69 BGN 11.13

17.49%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.42 BGN 2.37

42.96%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.46 BGN 2.43

-45.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$0.58 BGN 0.96

-39.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.73 BGN 2.88

23.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.30 BGN 3.82

59.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.76 BGN 2.92

-1.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$1.01 BGN 1.69

55.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$2.17 BGN 3.61

-44.70%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$3.13 BGN 5.21

-37.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$9.16 BGN 15.24

77.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$7.72 BGN 12.84

-60.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$5.78 BGN 9.61

86.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$1.51 BGN 2.52

83.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.67 BGN 2.78

-29.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.67 BGN 2.78

2.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.64 BGN 2.72

-3.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$1.03 BGN 1.72

34.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.86 BGN 1.43

34.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$1.06 BGN 1.76

-37.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.75 BGN 1.25

-30.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$3.59 BGN 5.97

29.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$4.76 BGN 7.93

273.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.04 BGN 1.73

72.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.79 BGN 2.98

86.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.92 BGN 1.53

-1.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$29.21 BGN 48.59

-36.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.15 BGN 1.92

22.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.73 BGN 1.21

83.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$10.66 BGN 17.73

-23.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.53 BGN 2.54

-19.61%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$32.4K BGN 53.9K

-33.79%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$28.0K BGN 46.6K

-22.07%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$94.4 BGN 157

-24.46%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$16.54 BGN 27.51

-15.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$14.92 BGN 24.82

20.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$28.36 BGN 47.19

43.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$14.61 BGN 24.31

-52.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$8.73 BGN 14.52

-34.48%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$421 BGN 700

-26.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$6,918 BGN 11.5K

112.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$59.8 BGN 99.4

-6.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$21.89 BGN 36.41

18.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$98.7 BGN 164

-14.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$63.2 BGN 105

12.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$266 BGN 443

59.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$194 BGN 323

24.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$384 BGN 638

107.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$308 BGN 512

64.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,336 BGN 2,222

43.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,194 BGN 1,986

22.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$1,230 BGN 2,047

-51.64%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Yambol: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $266 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 107% higher in Yambol. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $29.00 in Yambol. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $201 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,282 in Yambol. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $29.00 in Yambol. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 57% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $855 in Yambol, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $855 in Yambol. 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, Yambol makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.