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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $767 in Gevgelija, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,179 in Gevgelija, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,591 in Gevgelija, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 13% more than Gevgelija, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Gevgelija are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Gevgelija 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$5.59 MKD 294

-65.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$28.44 MKD 1,499

-34.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$4.98 MKD 262

57.03%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.40 MKD 73.9

39.29%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$0.93 MKD 49.21

-8.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.72 MKD 38.00

-51.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.21 MKD 63.8

76.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.76 MKD 145

35.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.33 MKD 70.0

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.72 MKD 38.00

126.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$0.78 MKD 41.06

46.15%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.05 MKD 108

-5.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$7.47 MKD 394

117.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.73 MKD 302

-45.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$11.34 MKD 598

-3.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.07 MKD 56.2

157.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.15 MKD 60.8

5.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.26 MKD 66.3

28.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.57 MKD 82.5

1.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.55 MKD 28.77

154.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.36 MKD 19.16

225.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.40 MKD 20.85

65.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.53 MKD 28.07

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$2.49 MKD 131

88.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$3.81 MKD 201

389.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$0.94 MKD 49.74

91.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.52 MKD 79.9

112.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.69 MKD 36.10

30.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$20.50 MKD 1,080

-6.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.10 MKD 57.8

28.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.49 MKD 25.85

163.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.58 MKD 294

40.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.49 MKD 78.5

-14.77%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$32.5K MKD 1.7M

-34.53%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$34.4K MKD 1.8M

-35.40%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$94.9 MKD 5,000

-27.20%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$17.58 MKD 926

-19.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$15.46 MKD 815

16.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$24.12 MKD 1,271

70.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$4.56 MKD 240

29.82%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$113 MKD 5,977

163.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$1,217 MKD 64.2K

1128.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$76.3 MKD 4,022

-28.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$47.46 MKD 2,501

-43.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$56.4 MKD 2,971

50.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$112 MKD 5,923

-37.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$282 MKD 14.9K

51.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$191 MKD 10.1K

24.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$553 MKD 29.1K

45.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$314 MKD 16.6K

63.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$587 MKD 30.9K

5.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-16.67%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Gevgelija: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $282 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 5% 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 $28.00 in Gevgelija. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $168 in Gevgelija – so Gevgelija 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 13% more than Gevgelija, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,151 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $113 in Gevgelija. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $767 in Gevgelija, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gevgelija costs $767 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 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.