Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Gevgelija

For one person, living is cheaper in Gevgelija: $782 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
39

Cost of Living Index in Gevgelija
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Gevgelija Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Gevgelija

🇲🇰 North Macedonia

$782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Gevgelija

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Gevgelija actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $782 in Gevgelija, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Gevgelija $782

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,226 in Gevgelija, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Gevgelija $1,226

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,670 in Gevgelija, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Gevgelija $1,670

Chiang Mai costs about 20% more than Gevgelija, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Gevgelija are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Gevgelija 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$7.12 MKD 388

-68.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

$31.15 MKD 1,699

-38.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

$5.28 MKD 288

5.87%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$1.33 MKD 72.3

29.32%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$0.94 MKD 51.3

-31.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

$0.69 MKD 37.73

-52.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

$1.17 MKD 63.6

101.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

$3.02 MKD 165

29.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$1.23 MKD 66.9

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

$0.65 MKD 35.19

115.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

$0.72 MKD 39.18

77.78%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$2.14 MKD 117

5.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

$7.06 MKD 385

139.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$5.53 MKD 302

-50.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

$11.01 MKD 601

-14.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$1.11 MKD 60.5

116.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$1.11 MKD 60.6

-9.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$1.36 MKD 74.1

18.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$1.86 MKD 101

-18.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

$0.52 MKD 28.44

146.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

$0.38 MKD 20.57

192.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

$0.35 MKD 19.00

105.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$0.53 MKD 28.87

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$2.40 MKD 131

80.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

$3.70 MKD 202

379.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.06 MKD 58.0

53.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

$1.43 MKD 78.0

99.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

$0.74 MKD 40.45

14.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

$20.23 MKD 1,104

166.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$1.11 MKD 60.7

5.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

$0.62 MKD 33.56

-8.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

$5.56 MKD 303

-57.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$1.57 MKD 85.6

-7.64%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

$35.1K MKD 1.9M

-41.69%

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

$27.1K MKD 1.5M

-1.98%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$92.4 MKD 5,038

-32.51%

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

$12.27 ฿410

$18.24 MKD 995

-32.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

$19.08 MKD 1,041

4.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$23.96 MKD 1,307

58.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

$16.12 MKD 879

-76.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

$5.37 MKD 293

24.95%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

$109 MKD 5,949

630.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

$5,751 MKD 313.7K

157.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$82.5 MKD 4,498

-35.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

$36.31 MKD 1,980

-31.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

$54.4 MKD 2,967

68.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

$113 MKD 6,149

-34.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

$245 MKD 13.4K

89.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

$190 MKD 10.3K

60.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

$426 MKD 23.2K

115.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$330 MKD 18.0K

67.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

$1,725 MKD 94.1K

10.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

$1,125 MKD 61.3K

27.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$579 MKD 31.6K

2.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.23

31.68%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Gevgelija: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Gevgelija

$190 24.3% 37.8% $115

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Gevgelija

$165 21.1% 30.8% $73

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Gevgelija

$129 16.5% 17.5% $19

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Gevgelija

$130 16.6% 37.1% $35

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Gevgelija

$107 13.7% 35.6% $28

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Gevgelija

$27 3.5% 55.3% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Gevgelija

$35 4.4% 32.4% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $245 in Gevgelija. 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 3% higher in Chiang Mai, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $31.00 in Gevgelija. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Chiang Mai vs $165 in Gevgelija – so Gevgelija wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇲🇰 Gevgelija

🕒 Local time

03:33 3:33 AM

22:33 10:33 PM

5 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

20,664

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

North Macedonian Denar MKD ден

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 MKD = 1.83 USD

100 MKD = 1.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MKD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 54.55 MKD (100 MKD = 1.83 USD). 1 EUR = 61.33 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Gevgelija 7,530 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Gevgelija

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 20% more than Gevgelija, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,173 in Gevgelija. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gevgelija, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $797 per month in Chiang Mai and $109 in Gevgelija. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% more in Chiang Mai, 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 Gevgelija, where all-in costs run around $782, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Gevgelija it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gevgelija costs $782 versus $938 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 Gevgelija. 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.