Cost of Living Comparison Between Veliko Tarnovo and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Veliko Tarnovo and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,070 per month in Veliko Tarnovo vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,686 per month in Veliko Tarnovo vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,302 per month in Veliko Tarnovo vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Veliko Tarnovo costs about 13% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Veliko Tarnovo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Veliko Tarnovo 22% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.80 BGN 19.62

$2.08 ฿68.6

467.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.39 BGN 80.5

$19.64 ฿646

146.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.21 BGN 16.99

$5.65 ฿186

80.71%

Cappuccino

$2.06 BGN 3.43

$1.81 ฿59.4

13.81%

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

$1.33 BGN 2.22

$0.71 ฿23.45

87.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 BGN 1.80

$0.32 ฿10.38

237.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 BGN 3.03

$2.24 ฿73.6

-18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 BGN 5.06

$3.63 ฿119

-16.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 BGN 3.30

$1.96 ฿64.4

1.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 BGN 1.74

$1.50 ฿49.39

-30.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.74 BGN 4.56

$1.34 ฿43.93

104.48%

Eggs

$3.43 BGN 5.71

$2.26 ฿74.5

51.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.86 BGN 18.07

$16.26 ฿535

-33.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.45 BGN 14.05

$2.95 ฿97.1

186.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 BGN 22.03

$9.94 ฿327

33.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 BGN 2.79

$2.57 ฿84.6

-34.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 BGN 3.36

$1.06 ฿34.73

90.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 BGN 3.40

$1.61 ฿53.0

26.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.74 BGN 4.56

$1.52 ฿49.97

80.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 BGN 1.88

$1.27 ฿41.77

-11.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 BGN 2.07

$1.07 ฿35.06

15.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 BGN 1.75

$0.72 ฿23.68

45.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 BGN 1.33

$0.51 ฿16.72

56.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 BGN 6.83

$4.19 ฿138

-1.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.72 BGN 11.18

$17.87 ฿587

-62.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 BGN 2.00

$1.69 ฿55.7

-28.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 BGN 2.85

$2.84 ฿93.3

-39.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 BGN 1.52

$0.93 ฿30.43

-2.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.67 BGN 39.37

$53.9 ฿1,771

-56.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 BGN 2.01

$1.23 ฿40.59

-1.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 BGN 1.20

$0.58 ฿18.96

24.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.05 BGN 20.04

$2.42 ฿79.7

397.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 BGN 2.52

$1.41 ฿46.43

7.80%

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

$31.7K BGN 52.7K

$21.4K ฿705.1K

47.68%

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

$31.8K BGN 53.0K

$27.3K ฿898.7K

16.46%

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

$107 BGN 179

$63.7 ฿2,093

68.70%

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

$19.33 BGN 32.16

$12.85 ฿423

50.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.59 BGN 24.27

$20.22 ฿665

-27.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.04 BGN 51.6

$38.74 ฿1,274

-19.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.21 BGN 35.28

$3.97 ฿130

434.26%

Cinema Ticket

$7.34 BGN 12.21

$6.74 ฿222

8.90%

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

$778 ฿25.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿480.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.30 BGN 82.0

$54.3 ฿1,785

-9.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.21 BGN 53.6

$25.45 ฿837

26.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 BGN 213

$94.3 ฿3,102

35.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.4 BGN 165

$73.4 ฿2,415

35.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 BGN 608

$490 ฿16.1K

-25.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 BGN 452

$289 ฿9,512

-6.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 BGN 987

$894 ฿29.4K

-33.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$438 BGN 729

$517 ฿17.0K

-15.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,510 BGN 4,176

$1,955 ฿64.3K

28.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,386 BGN 2,305

$1,477 ฿48.6K

-6.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$953 BGN 1,586

$602 ฿19.8K

58.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.18

5.57

-42.91%

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

Last update for Veliko Tarnovo: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $365 in Veliko Tarnovo versus $490 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 58% higher in Veliko Tarnovo, 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 $48.00 in Veliko Tarnovo versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $240 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Veliko Tarnovo vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Veliko Tarnovo costs about 13% 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 $1,605 per month in Veliko Tarnovo and $1,421 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.

Public transport costs about 128% less in Chiang Mai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Veliko Tarnovo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $947, than in Veliko Tarnovo at $1,070. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Veliko Tarnovo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $947 versus $1,070 in Veliko Tarnovo. 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, Veliko Tarnovo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.