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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $811 in Kumanovo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,176 in Kumanovo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,540 in Kumanovo, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 7% more than Kumanovo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Kumanovo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Kumanovo 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$5.62 MKD 298

-64.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$28.54 MKD 1,514

-34.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$5.01 MKD 266

54.69%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.58 MKD 84.0

21.52%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.66 MKD 87.9

-52.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$1.15 MKD 60.8

-68.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.56 MKD 82.7

41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.76 MKD 93.6

107.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.25 MKD 66.1

32.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.67 MKD 35.35

143.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.76 MKD 93.4

-32.39%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.11 MKD 112

-5.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$7.18 MKD 381

122.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$7.28 MKD 386

-58.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$11.43 MKD 607

-4.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$0.64 MKD 33.76

331.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.37 MKD 72.7

-13.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.27 MKD 67.1

29.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.06 MKD 56.3

43.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.94 MKD 49.81

46.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.77 MKD 40.97

54.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.54 MKD 28.76

29.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.52 MKD 27.36

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$3.06 MKD 163

49.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$7.37 MKD 391

124.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$0.99 MKD 52.3

84.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.09 MKD 57.7

193.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.68 MKD 36.04

29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$19.80 MKD 1,050

-5.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.11 MKD 58.9

22.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.53 MKD 28.32

152.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.76 MKD 359

15.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.47 MKD 78.1

-16.33%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$32.0K MKD 1.7M

-32.34%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

-32.81%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$120 MKD 6,387

-41.40%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$16.92 MKD 898

-19.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$15.39 MKD 816

13.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$18.98 MKD 1,007

117.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$4.83 MKD 256

19.46%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$220 MKD 11.7K

39.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$1,180 MKD 62.6K

1138.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$38.25 MKD 2,030

45.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$47.45 MKD 2,518

-44.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$74.0 MKD 3,927

15.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$46.41 MKD 2,463

55.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$261 MKD 13.8K

64.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$207 MKD 11.0K

15.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$559 MKD 29.7K

46.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$314 MKD 16.7K

62.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,652 MKD 87.7K

20.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,475 MKD 78.3K

0.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$578 MKD 30.6K

7.14%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kumanovo: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $261 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 7% 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 $29.00 in Kumanovo. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $183 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 7% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,217 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $220 in Kumanovo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $811 in Kumanovo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kumanovo costs $811 versus $869 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.