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 $789 in Kumanovo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,166 in Kumanovo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,543 in Kumanovo, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 8% 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 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$5.73 MKD 302

-65.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$28.55 MKD 1,505

-34.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$4.97 MKD 262

59.36%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.59 MKD 84.0

20.13%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.59 MKD 84.0

-47.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$1.16 MKD 61.0

-69.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.55 MKD 82.0

42.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$1.74 MKD 91.6

118.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.32 MKD 69.4

24.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.62 MKD 32.61

161.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.78 MKD 93.9

-33.71%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.09 MKD 110

-3.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$6.93 MKD 365

129.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$7.28 MKD 384

-58.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$11.40 MKD 601

-5.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$0.63 MKD 33.12

314.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.38 MKD 72.8

-11.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.30 MKD 68.4

30.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.06 MKD 55.7

49.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.98 MKD 51.5

34.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.78 MKD 41.31

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.55 MKD 28.75

21.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.52 MKD 27.68

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$3.05 MKD 161

48.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$7.48 MKD 394

143.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$1.01 MKD 53.4

81.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.04 MKD 55.1

210.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.67 MKD 35.44

32.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$19.99 MKD 1,054

-3.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.15 MKD 60.8

17.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.49 MKD 25.98

175.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$6.61 MKD 349

24.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.45 MKD 76.2

-12.41%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$32.3K MKD 1.7M

-34.51%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$34.4K MKD 1.8M

-34.63%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$122 MKD 6,414

-42.33%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$16.71 MKD 881

-17.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$15.80 MKD 833

11.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$19.13 MKD 1,009

117.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$4.77 MKD 252

21.17%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$217 MKD 11.4K

41.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$1,184 MKD 62.4K

1152.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$38.07 MKD 2,008

42.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$47.60 MKD 2,510

-45.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$73.5 MKD 3,876

15.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$47.89 MKD 2,525

44.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$258 MKD 13.6K

64.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$213 MKD 11.2K

11.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$557 MKD 29.4K

47.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$311 MKD 16.4K

65.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,676 MKD 88.4K

22.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,502 MKD 79.2K

1.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$585 MKD 30.8K

8.63%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kumanovo: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $258 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 9% 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 – $243 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 8% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,183 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $217 in Kumanovo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% 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 $789 in Kumanovo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kumanovo costs $789 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.