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 $1,068 per month in Plovdiv vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,734 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,401 per month in Plovdiv vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Plovdiv costs about 24% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Plovdiv and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Plovdiv 20% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.72 BGN 14.51

$1.96 ฿65.7

344.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.71 BGN 77.7

$18.35 ฿616

154.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 BGN 14.02

$7.48 ฿251

12.70%

Cappuccino

$2.51 BGN 4.18

$2.02 ฿67.7

24.26%

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

$1.45 BGN 2.41

$0.85 ฿28.45

70.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 BGN 1.51

$0.36 ฿11.94

152.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 BGN 4.98

$2.14 ฿71.7

39.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 BGN 4.82

$3.59 ฿121

-19.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 BGN 3.01

$1.65 ฿55.4

9.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 BGN 1.71

$1.57 ฿52.6

-34.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 BGN 3.54

$1.19 ฿39.95

78.99%

Eggs

$3.32 BGN 5.52

$1.94 ฿65.0

71.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.87 BGN 19.75

$16.19 ฿544

-26.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.51 BGN 12.50

$2.99 ฿100

151.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.07 BGN 20.08

$10.94 ฿367

10.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 BGN 2.63

$2.71 ฿91.0

-41.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 BGN 2.83

$1.17 ฿39.18

45.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 BGN 2.75

$1.69 ฿56.6

-2.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.56 BGN 4.26

$1.60 ฿53.9

60.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 BGN 1.64

$1.38 ฿46.45

-28.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 BGN 1.86

$1.20 ฿40.38

-6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 BGN 1.81

$0.67 ฿22.46

62.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 BGN 1.26

$0.56 ฿18.70

35.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.47 BGN 5.76

$4.64 ฿156

-25.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.97 BGN 9.93

$17.62 ฿591

-66.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 BGN 1.80

$1.86 ฿62.4

-41.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 BGN 2.93

$3.30 ฿111

-46.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 BGN 0.93

$0.88 ฿29.63

-36.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.49 BGN 45.73

$19.34 ฿649

42.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 BGN 1.93

$1.36 ฿45.82

-14.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 BGN 1.08

$1.34 ฿44.90

-51.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.58 BGN 17.60

$8.21 ฿276

28.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 BGN 2.64

$1.22 ฿41.11

30.33%

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

$32.5K BGN 54.0K

$21.4K ฿716.8K

52.05%

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

$28.2K BGN 47.0K

$22.5K ฿756.3K

25.34%

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

$97.8 BGN 163

$70.7 ฿2,372

38.38%

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

$17.71 BGN 29.45

$14.04 ฿471

26.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.47 BGN 25.74

$17.49 ฿587

-11.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.09 BGN 61.7

$42.15 ฿1,415

-12.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.94 BGN 24.85

$6.88 ฿231

117.15%

Cinema Ticket

$9.02 BGN 15.01

$5.92 ฿199

52.36%

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

$429 BGN 713

$309 ฿10.4K

38.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,868 BGN 11.4K

$14.9K ฿499.5K

-53.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 BGN 101

$55.8 ฿1,872

8.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.10 BGN 58.4

$26.11 ฿877

34.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 BGN 163

$83.0 ฿2,787

17.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 BGN 178

$70.5 ฿2,365

51.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 BGN 778

$432 ฿14.5K

8.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 BGN 572

$239 ฿8,020

44.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 BGN 1,349

$822 ฿27.6K

-1.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 BGN 1,035

$512 ฿17.2K

21.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,268 BGN 3,774

$1,915 ฿64.3K

18.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,521 BGN 2,530

$1,467 ฿49.3K

3.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,134 BGN 1,887

$579 ฿19.4K

95.80%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Plovdiv versus $432 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 96% 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Plovdiv vs $243 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 24% 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 $1,602 per month in Plovdiv and $1,292 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 $429 per month in Plovdiv and $309 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 $861, than in Plovdiv at $1,068. 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 $861 versus $1,068 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.