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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $889 per month in Shumen vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,376 per month in Shumen vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,862 per month in Shumen vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Shumen costs about 4% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Shumen and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Shumen 33% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.49 BGN 15.80

$2.04 ฿68.2

365.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.38 BGN 48.87

$18.71 ฿624

57.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 BGN 14.41

$7.86 ฿262

10.18%

Cappuccino

$1.70 BGN 2.83

$2.03 ฿67.7

-16.26%

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

$1.37 BGN 2.28

$0.80 ฿26.64

71.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 BGN 1.19

$0.35 ฿11.68

102.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 BGN 3.34

$2.14 ฿71.5

-6.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 BGN 3.87

$3.67 ฿122

-36.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 BGN 2.73

$1.73 ฿57.6

-5.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 BGN 1.59

$1.57 ฿52.4

-39.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 BGN 3.18

$1.20 ฿39.99

59.17%

Eggs

$3.08 BGN 5.12

$1.97 ฿65.8

56.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.41 BGN 15.66

$16.23 ฿541

-42.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 BGN 9.37

$3.06 ฿102

83.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.73 BGN 19.51

$10.80 ฿360

8.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 BGN 2.93

$2.77 ฿92.3

-36.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 BGN 3.41

$1.17 ฿38.94

75.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 BGN 3.42

$1.71 ฿57.0

20.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 BGN 3.74

$1.59 ฿53.2

41.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 BGN 2.42

$1.39 ฿46.51

4.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 BGN 2.21

$1.16 ฿38.56

14.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 BGN 1.54

$0.66 ฿22.05

40.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 BGN 1.31

$0.52 ฿17.31

51.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 BGN 5.94

$4.65 ฿155

-23.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.22 BGN 12.00

$17.78 ฿593

-59.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 BGN 1.55

$1.79 ฿59.6

-48.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 BGN 2.68

$3.34 ฿111

-51.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 BGN 1.45

$0.91 ฿30.27

-4.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.71 BGN 44.44

$18.64 ฿622

43.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 BGN 2.08

$1.41 ฿47.04

-11.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 BGN 0.51

$1.34 ฿44.70

-76.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.36 BGN 22.22

$8.11 ฿270

64.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 BGN 2.47

$1.23 ฿41.16

21.14%

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

$32.0K BGN 53.2K

$21.4K ฿715.1K

49.09%

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

$25.2K BGN 41.9K

$21.8K ฿728.0K

15.39%

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

$96.4 BGN 160

$71.3 ฿2,379

35.08%

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

$16.33 BGN 27.16

$14.01 ฿467

16.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.90 BGN 23.13

$17.93 ฿598

-22.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.73 BGN 66.1

$40.82 ฿1,362

-2.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.67 BGN 19.41

$6.88 ฿230

69.62%

Cinema Ticket

$6.94 BGN 11.54

$5.72 ฿191

21.33%

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

$237 BGN 394

$308 ฿10.3K

-23.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K BGN 17.6K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-28.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 BGN 90.6

$55.8 ฿1,860

-2.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.57 BGN 69.2

$26.04 ฿869

59.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 BGN 138

$84.8 ฿2,829

-2.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 BGN 120

$71.0 ฿2,368

1.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 BGN 452

$423 ฿14.1K

-35.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 BGN 314

$242 ฿8,088

-22.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 BGN 844

$797 ฿26.6K

-36.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 BGN 542

$507 ฿16.9K

-35.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,289 BGN 2,144

$1,918 ฿64.0K

-32.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,017 BGN 1,691

$1,464 ฿48.8K

-30.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,034 BGN 1,719

$595 ฿19.9K

73.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.57

-8.60%

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

Last update for Shumen: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $272 in Shumen versus $423 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 74% higher in Shumen, 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 $29.00 in Shumen versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $221 in Shumen vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Shumen 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

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

Shumen costs about 4% 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 $1,334 per month in Shumen and $1,279 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 $237 per month in Shumen and $308 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 11% cheaper in Shumen – 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 $889 in Shumen and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $889 in Shumen. 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, Shumen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.