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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $925 in Kicevo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,347 in Kicevo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,770 in Kicevo, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Kicevo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Chiang Mai and Kicevo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Kicevo 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$4.06 MKD 217

-48.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$18.46 MKD 988

6.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$4.63 MKD 248

22.46%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$1.18 MKD 63.1

53.39%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$1.37 MKD 73.2

-43.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$0.73 MKD 39.10

-52.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.40 MKD 128

-7.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$2.29 MKD 122

65.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.27 MKD 68.1

61.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.57 MKD 30.75

164.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.90 MKD 102

-26.32%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$2.43 MKD 130

-7.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$7.29 MKD 390

122.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$7.56 MKD 404

-61.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$15.22 MKD 815

-38.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$1.44 MKD 77.1

86.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.45 MKD 77.6

-24.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.40 MKD 74.9

15.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$2.01 MKD 108

-27.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$0.89 MKD 47.66

43.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.87 MKD 46.58

21.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.64 MKD 34.49

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.36 MKD 19.37

47.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.96 MKD 159

42.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$5.72 MKD 306

219.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$1.09 MKD 58.2

49.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.53 MKD 81.7

89.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$0.73 MKD 38.82

20.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

$20.60 MKD 1,103

161.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$1.10 MKD 59.1

6.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.58 MKD 31.23

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$7.87 MKD 421

-69.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.43 MKD 76.7

1.40%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$36.4K MKD 1.9M

-42.31%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$28.3K MKD 1.5M

-6.70%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$165 MKD 8,805

-61.31%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$18.49 MKD 989

-30.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$19.11 MKD 1,023

7.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$27.46 MKD 1,470

42.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$19.21 MKD 1,028

-79.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$7.32 MKD 392

-10.11%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$360 MKD 19.2K

118.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$5,727 MKD 306.5K

156.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$85.3 MKD 4,565

-35.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$38.53 MKD 2,062

-35.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$104 MKD 5,548

-9.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$116 MKD 6,206

-36.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$290 MKD 15.5K

69.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$189 MKD 10.1K

52.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$523 MKD 28.0K

70.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$289 MKD 15.4K

80.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$1,565 MKD 83.8K

26.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$1,168 MKD 62.5K

23.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$584 MKD 31.3K

2.94%

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: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kicevo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $290 in Kicevo. 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $18.00 in Kicevo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $204 – making Kicevo 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 1% more than Kicevo, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,388 in Kicevo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $360 in Kicevo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kicevo, where all-in costs run around $925, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Kicevo 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. Kicevo costs $925 versus $932 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 Kicevo. 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.