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 $878 per month in Shumen vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,375 per month in Shumen vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,872 per month in Shumen vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

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

Both Shumen and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Shumen 34% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.76 BGN 16.30

$1.96 ฿63.6

397.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.01 BGN 50.1

$18.81 ฿611

59.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 BGN 14.47

$7.92 ฿258

9.34%

Cappuccino

$1.66 BGN 2.77

$1.91 ฿62.2

-13.09%

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

$1.38 BGN 2.30

$0.84 ฿27.25

64.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 BGN 1.16

$0.35 ฿11.44

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 BGN 3.31

$2.21 ฿71.7

-10.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 BGN 3.95

$3.80 ฿124

-37.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 BGN 2.81

$1.64 ฿53.2

2.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 BGN 1.60

$1.62 ฿52.8

-40.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 BGN 3.13

$1.18 ฿38.40

58.47%

Eggs

$3.02 BGN 5.04

$2.01 ฿65.4

50.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 BGN 16.19

$15.89 ฿517

-39.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.90 BGN 9.85

$3.01 ฿98.0

96.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.53 BGN 19.26

$10.77 ฿350

7.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.75 BGN 2.93

$2.61 ฿85.0

-32.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 BGN 3.46

$1.22 ฿39.65

69.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 BGN 3.42

$1.70 ฿55.4

20.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 BGN 3.81

$1.58 ฿51.2

44.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 BGN 2.50

$1.32 ฿42.89

13.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 BGN 2.30

$1.17 ฿38.01

17.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 BGN 1.62

$0.67 ฿21.85

44.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 BGN 1.31

$0.56 ฿18.21

41.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.63 BGN 6.07

$4.53 ฿147

-19.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.27 BGN 12.15

$18.20 ฿592

-60.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 BGN 1.67

$1.83 ฿59.6

-45.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 BGN 2.70

$3.23 ฿105

-49.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 BGN 1.48

$0.89 ฿28.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.38 BGN 44.06

$19.38 ฿630

36.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 BGN 2.10

$1.35 ฿43.95

-6.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 BGN 0.51

$1.35 ฿43.79

-77.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.29 BGN 22.20

$8.25 ฿268

61.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 BGN 2.49

$1.27 ฿41.40

17.32%

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

$32.6K BGN 54.5K

$21.2K ฿687.8K

54.14%

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

$25.6K BGN 42.8K

$22.5K ฿731.0K

14.05%

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

$95.1 BGN 159

$70.2 ฿2,281

35.62%

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

$16.85 BGN 28.14

$13.77 ฿448

22.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.05 BGN 23.46

$17.60 ฿572

-20.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.44 BGN 65.9

$41.57 ฿1,352

-5.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.87 BGN 19.82

$6.60 ฿215

79.85%

Cinema Ticket

$7.17 BGN 11.98

$5.78 ฿188

24.05%

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

$235 BGN 392

$306 ฿9,953

-23.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K BGN 17.7K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-28.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 BGN 91.2

$54.4 ฿1,768

0.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.70 BGN 69.6

$26.14 ฿850

59.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.4 BGN 139

$84.5 ฿2,748

-1.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.4 BGN 121

$69.4 ฿2,257

4.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$278 BGN 464

$424 ฿13.8K

-34.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 BGN 315

$238 ฿7,743

-20.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 BGN 826

$825 ฿26.8K

-40.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 BGN 541

$515 ฿16.7K

-37.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,299 BGN 2,169

$2,049 ฿66.6K

-36.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,039 BGN 1,735

$1,523 ฿49.5K

-31.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,053 BGN 1,759

$635 ฿20.6K

65.79%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $278 in Shumen versus $424 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 66% 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 $30.00 in Shumen versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $223 in Shumen vs $243 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 3% 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 $1,317 per month in Shumen and $1,278 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 $235 per month in Shumen and $306 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 9% 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 $878 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 $878 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.