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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $849 in Kocani, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,281 in Kocani, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,713 in Kocani, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$5.48 MKD 293

-62.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$27.76 MKD 1,484

-32.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$4.96 MKD 265

58.47%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.12 MKD 59.8

81.25%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.52 MKD 81.2

-47.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$1.15 MKD 61.4

-69.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.30 MKD 123

-6.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.69 MKD 144

36.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.23 MKD 65.8

40.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.57 MKD 30.49

175.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.47 MKD 78.6

-18.37%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$1.90 MKD 101

3.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$10.32 MKD 552

57.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.55 MKD 297

-44.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$13.30 MKD 711

-18.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$0.76 MKD 40.73

264.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.40 MKD 74.8

-16.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.26 MKD 67.3

35.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.48 MKD 79.1

7.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.98 MKD 52.5

41.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.29 MKD 69.1

-10.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.59 MKD 31.30

11.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.53 MKD 28.16

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.96 MKD 158

57.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$3.64 MKD 194

388.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$0.98 MKD 52.4

82.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.79 MKD 95.7

86.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.69 MKD 37.00

31.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$20.42 MKD 1,091

-8.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.15 MKD 61.4

22.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.53 MKD 28.32

152.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$3.78 MKD 202

114.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.49 MKD 79.6

-17.45%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$31.6K MKD 1.7M

-32.08%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$34.3K MKD 1.8M

-36.40%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$146 MKD 7,778

-50.99%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$17.45 MKD 933

-19.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$15.29 MKD 817

17.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$20.89 MKD 1,116

95.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$4.81 MKD 257

18.92%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$217 MKD 11.6K

41.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$1,203 MKD 64.3K

1120.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$77.3 MKD 4,133

-27.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$48.39 MKD 2,586

-46.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$76.3 MKD 4,075

11.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$111 MKD 5,917

-35.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$279 MKD 14.9K

51.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$193 MKD 10.3K

25.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$554 MKD 29.6K

44.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$304 MKD 16.3K

66.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,446 MKD 77.3K

32.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,254 MKD 67.0K

16.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$466 MKD 24.9K

27.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

-29.58%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kocani: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $279 in Kocani. 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 28% higher in Chiang Mai. 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 Kocani. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $185 in Kocani – so Kocani 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 Kocani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,274 in Kocani. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kocani, 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai and $28.00 in Kocani. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 10% less in Kocani. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $849 in Kocani, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kocani costs $849 versus $852 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 Kocani. 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.