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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,102 per month in Plovdiv vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,712 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,321 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Plovdiv costs about 27% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Plovdiv and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Plovdiv 18% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.70 BGN 14.47

$1.94 ฿63.5

348.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.28 BGN 78.7

$18.64 ฿609

153.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.69 BGN 14.46

$7.82 ฿255

11.13%

Cappuccino

$2.49 BGN 4.15

$1.95 ฿63.8

27.69%

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

$1.49 BGN 2.48

$0.85 ฿27.77

75.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 BGN 1.51

$0.35 ฿11.58

160.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 BGN 4.97

$2.13 ฿69.6

40.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 BGN 4.88

$3.73 ฿122

-21.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 BGN 3.02

$1.71 ฿56.0

5.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 BGN 1.78

$1.63 ฿53.2

-34.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 BGN 3.51

$1.14 ฿37.15

85.09%

Eggs

$3.40 BGN 5.66

$1.93 ฿63.1

76.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.61 BGN 19.31

$16.21 ฿530

-28.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.95 BGN 13.22

$3.12 ฿102

154.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.02 BGN 19.99

$10.90 ฿356

10.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.50 BGN 2.49

$2.75 ฿90.0

-45.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 BGN 2.93

$1.21 ฿39.52

45.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 BGN 2.76

$1.62 ฿53.0

2.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.48 BGN 4.12

$1.59 ฿51.8

55.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 BGN 1.70

$1.40 ฿45.70

-27.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 BGN 1.90

$1.17 ฿38.17

-2.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 BGN 1.82

$0.66 ฿21.60

65.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 BGN 1.28

$0.53 ฿17.22

45.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.61 BGN 6.01

$4.69 ฿153

-23.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.07 BGN 10.11

$18.66 ฿609

-67.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 BGN 1.73

$1.80 ฿58.8

-42.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 BGN 2.99

$3.23 ฿106

-44.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 BGN 1.00

$0.90 ฿29.26

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.44 BGN 47.32

$19.21 ฿628

48.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 BGN 1.93

$1.41 ฿45.91

-17.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 BGN 1.09

$1.29 ฿42.12

-48.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.48 BGN 17.44

$7.84 ฿256

33.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 BGN 2.50

$1.27 ฿41.58

18.11%

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

$31.9K BGN 53.1K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

50.07%

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

$28.7K BGN 47.8K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

29.42%

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

$97.8 BGN 163

$69.1 ฿2,256

41.61%

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

$18.10 BGN 30.11

$14.08 ฿460

28.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.31 BGN 25.47

$18.00 ฿588

-14.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.70 BGN 62.7

$41.06 ฿1,341

-8.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.69 BGN 24.44

$6.96 ฿227

111.06%

Cinema Ticket

$8.96 BGN 14.90

$5.92 ฿193

51.35%

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

$425 BGN 706

$299 ฿9,766

41.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,126 BGN 11.9K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-52.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 BGN 102

$54.7 ฿1,787

12.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.35 BGN 58.8

$26.77 ฿874

32.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 BGN 163

$85.0 ฿2,776

15.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 BGN 176

$70.6 ฿2,306

50.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 BGN 802

$428 ฿14.0K

12.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 BGN 558

$237 ฿7,752

41.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 BGN 1,357

$801 ฿26.2K

1.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$609 BGN 1,013

$515 ฿16.8K

18.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,299 BGN 3,824

$1,975 ฿64.5K

16.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,556 BGN 2,589

$1,475 ฿48.2K

5.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,160 BGN 1,929

$617 ฿20.2K

87.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.49

-10.20%

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

Last update for Plovdiv: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Plovdiv versus $428 in Chiang Mai. 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 88% higher in Plovdiv, 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 $47.00 in Plovdiv versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Plovdiv vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Plovdiv 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

Plovdiv vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Plovdiv costs about 27% 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 $1,654 per month in Plovdiv and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. 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 $425 per month in Plovdiv and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Plovdiv – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Plovdiv at $1,102. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Plovdiv it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,102 in Plovdiv. 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, Plovdiv makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.