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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $815 in Kumanovo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,181 in Kumanovo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,547 in Kumanovo, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Kumanovo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chiang Mai and Kumanovo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Kumanovo 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.2

$6.71 MKD 358

-69.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿652

$28.61 MKD 1,528

-31.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$6.81 MKD 364

-16.74%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.0

$1.51 MKD 80.4

19.87%

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

$0.77 ฿25.55

$1.42 MKD 76.1

-45.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.48

$1.10 MKD 58.5

-68.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.6

$1.58 MKD 84.6

39.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$1.75 MKD 93.6

116.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.1

$1.26 MKD 67.5

62.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.71 MKD 37.91

112.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.51

$1.91 MKD 102

-26.70%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.1

$2.42 MKD 129

-6.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿538

$8.59 MKD 459

88.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.3

$7.62 MKD 407

-61.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿313

$11.84 MKD 633

-20.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.1

$1.01 MKD 53.8

165.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.23

$1.39 MKD 74.2

-21.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.35 MKD 72.1

20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.55

$1.78 MKD 95.1

-17.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.48

$0.84 MKD 45.00

52.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.17

$0.80 MKD 42.82

32.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.85

$0.55 MKD 29.11

30.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.49

$0.58 MKD 31.22

-8.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$3.06 MKD 164

38.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿608

$7.66 MKD 409

138.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.2

$1.04 MKD 55.5

56.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.5

$1.03 MKD 55.2

181.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.20

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,788

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿38.99

$1.11 MKD 59.4

5.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.22

$0.63 MKD 33.50

-7.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.3

$6.00 MKD 320

-60.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.22

$1.42 MKD 75.8

2.11%

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

$21.0K ฿698.6K

$36.0K MKD 1.9M

-41.66%

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

$26.4K ฿878.6K

$28.8K MKD 1.5M

-8.37%

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

$63.7 ฿2,116

$132 MKD 7,037

-51.70%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$17.20 MKD 918

-25.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿682

$19.59 MKD 1,046

4.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,297

$28.45 MKD 1,519

37.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

$18.47 MKD 986

-78.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$5.55 MKD 296

18.56%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$369 MKD 19.7K

112.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿487.9K

$5,807 MKD 310.1K

152.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,833

$44.36 MKD 2,369

24.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿823

$20.66 MKD 1,103

19.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,130

$85.0 MKD 4,536

10.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,459

$50.8 MKD 2,712

45.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$248 MKD 13.2K

97.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,582

$202 MKD 10.8K

42.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.6K

$435 MKD 23.2K

104.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$248 MKD 13.3K

109.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.6K

$1,641 MKD 87.6K

20.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.0K

$1,488 MKD 79.4K

-2.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$570 MKD 30.5K

5.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

39.25%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kumanovo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $248 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 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $29.00 in Kumanovo. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $200 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 14% more than Kumanovo, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. 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 $1,223 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $29.00 in Kumanovo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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 Kumanovo, where all-in costs run around $815, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Kumanovo 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. Kumanovo costs $815 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 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.