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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $808 in Kumanovo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,202 in Kumanovo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,596 in Kumanovo, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 5% more than Kumanovo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Kumanovo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Kumanovo 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$5.79 MKD 310

-64.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$27.75 MKD 1,483

-32.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$5.12 MKD 273

53.52%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.54 MKD 82.5

31.82%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.62 MKD 86.6

-50.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$1.16 MKD 61.8

-69.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.58 MKD 84.6

35.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$1.73 MKD 92.7

112.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.26 MKD 67.2

37.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.62 MKD 33.05

153.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.77 MKD 94.5

-32.20%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.09 MKD 112

-5.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$7.18 MKD 384

126.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$7.04 MKD 376

-56.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$11.30 MKD 604

-4.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$0.68 MKD 36.12

307.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.40 MKD 74.7

-16.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.31 MKD 70.3

30.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.09 MKD 58.5

45.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.91 MKD 48.58

52.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.72 MKD 38.30

61.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.53 MKD 28.40

24.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.49 MKD 25.94

6.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.99 MKD 160

55.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$7.24 MKD 387

145.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$1.00 MKD 53.6

79.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.04 MKD 55.5

221.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.67 MKD 35.93

35.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$20.32 MKD 1,086

-8.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.15 MKD 61.6

22.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.49 MKD 26.40

173.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$6.40 MKD 342

26.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.49 MKD 79.4

-17.45%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$31.4K MKD 1.7M

-31.73%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$34.4K MKD 1.8M

-36.62%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$121 MKD 6,492

-41.28%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$16.67 MKD 891

-15.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$15.61 MKD 834

14.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$18.65 MKD 996

118.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$4.76 MKD 254

20.17%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$222 MKD 11.9K

38.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$1,183 MKD 63.2K

1140.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$37.65 MKD 2,012

48.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$48.65 MKD 2,600

-46.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$74.4 MKD 3,978

13.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$46.07 MKD 2,462

54.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$260 MKD 13.9K

63.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$208 MKD 11.1K

16.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$566 MKD 30.2K

40.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$314 MKD 16.8K

61.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,620 MKD 86.6K

18.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,481 MKD 79.1K

-1.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$581 MKD 31.1K

2.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

25.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kumanovo: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $260 in Kumanovo. 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 2% 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 Kumanovo. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $181 in Kumanovo – so Kumanovo 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 Kumanovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 5% more than Kumanovo, 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,212 in Kumanovo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $222 in Kumanovo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $808 in Kumanovo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kumanovo costs $808 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 Kumanovo. 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.