Cost of Living Comparison Between Stara Zagora and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Stara Zagora and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $864 per month in Stara Zagora vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,330 per month in Stara Zagora vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,796 per month in Stara Zagora vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

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

Both Stara Zagora and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Stara Zagora 36% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.82 BGN 14.68

$1.94 ฿63.6

354.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.74 BGN 57.8

$18.64 ฿609

86.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.99 BGN 14.95

$7.82 ฿256

14.96%

Cappuccino

$1.87 BGN 3.11

$1.95 ฿63.9

-4.10%

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

$1.27 BGN 2.11

$0.85 ฿27.80

49.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 BGN 1.22

$0.35 ฿11.60

108.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 BGN 1.94

$2.13 ฿69.7

-45.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 BGN 3.35

$3.73 ฿122

-45.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 BGN 3.09

$1.71 ฿56.0

8.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 BGN 1.29

$1.63 ฿53.3

-52.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 BGN 2.56

$1.14 ฿37.18

35.09%

Eggs

$2.25 BGN 3.74

$1.93 ฿63.2

16.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.15 BGN 15.21

$16.21 ฿530

-43.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.52 BGN 12.51

$3.12 ฿102

141.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.65 BGN 14.39

$10.90 ฿356

-20.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 BGN 2.27

$2.75 ฿90.1

-50.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 BGN 2.76

$1.21 ฿39.56

37.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 BGN 3.13

$1.62 ฿53.0

16.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 BGN 3.55

$1.59 ฿51.9

34.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 BGN 1.67

$1.40 ฿45.75

-27.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 BGN 1.42

$1.17 ฿38.20

-27.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 BGN 0.95

$0.66 ฿21.62

-13.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 BGN 1.24

$0.53 ฿17.24

41.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 BGN 6.39

$4.69 ฿153

-18.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.34 BGN 8.88

$18.66 ฿610

-71.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 BGN 2.03

$1.80 ฿58.8

-32.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 BGN 3.62

$3.23 ฿106

-32.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 BGN 1.54

$0.90 ฿29.28

2.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.95 BGN 31.52

$19.21 ฿628

-1.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 BGN 2.29

$1.41 ฿45.96

-2.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 BGN 1.17

$1.29 ฿42.16

-45.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.66 BGN 19.39

$7.84 ฿256

48.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 BGN 2.55

$1.27 ฿41.62

21.26%

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

$24.7K BGN 41.0K

$21.3K ฿695.5K

15.85%

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

$17.9K BGN 29.8K

$22.2K ฿726.1K

-19.24%

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

$104 BGN 173

$69.1 ฿2,258

50.30%

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

$15.07 BGN 25.06

$14.08 ฿460

7.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.04 BGN 18.36

$18.00 ฿588

-38.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.66 BGN 32.70

$41.06 ฿1,342

-52.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.48 BGN 29.08

$6.96 ฿227

151.15%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 BGN 12.94

$5.92 ฿193

31.42%

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

$232 BGN 386

$299 ฿9,775

-22.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,361 BGN 3,927

$15.0K ฿488.8K

-84.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.22 BGN 63.6

$54.7 ฿1,788

-30.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.85 BGN 31.36

$26.77 ฿875

-29.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 BGN 127

$85.0 ฿2,778

-10.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.7 BGN 126

$70.6 ฿2,308

7.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 BGN 406

$428 ฿14.0K

-42.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 BGN 386

$237 ฿7,759

-2.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 BGN 663

$801 ฿26.2K

-50.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 BGN 612

$515 ฿16.9K

-28.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,508 BGN 2,508

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-23.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,120 BGN 1,863

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-24.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,062 BGN 1,767

$617 ฿20.2K

72.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

-32.00%

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

Last update for Stara Zagora: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $244 in Stara Zagora 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 72% higher in Stara Zagora. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Stara Zagora versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $204 in Stara Zagora vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Stara Zagora 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

Stara Zagora vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,296 per month in Stara Zagora 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 Stara Zagora, 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 $35.00 in Stara Zagora and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Stara Zagora. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $864 in Stara Zagora and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Stara Zagora costs $864 versus $866 in Chiang Mai. 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 Stara Zagora. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiang Mai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.