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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $906 per month in Chiang Mai vs $986 in Ohrid, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,532 in Ohrid, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,864 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,078 in Ohrid, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 8% cheaper than Ohrid, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Ohrid are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Ohrid 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 ฿71.6

$7.29 MKD 397

-70.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.40 ฿651

$35.81 MKD 1,949

-45.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 ฿184

$7.21 MKD 393

-24.13%

Cappuccino

$1.68 ฿56.6

$2.74 MKD 149

-38.69%

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

$0.66 ฿22.17

$3.05 MKD 166

-78.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.55

$1.79 MKD 97.4

-81.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.3

$3.61 MKD 197

-32.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿125

$4.50 MKD 245

-17.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ฿69.1

$1.29 MKD 70.0

59.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿48.93

$0.70 MKD 38.12

108.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿45.22

$1.72 MKD 93.9

-21.51%

Eggs

$2.27 ฿76.2

$2.16 MKD 117

5.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.31 ฿548

$8.04 MKD 438

102.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.70 ฿90.6

$8.43 MKD 459

-67.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.20 ฿309

$14.28 MKD 778

-35.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ฿80.4

$1.01 MKD 55.2

136.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ฿34.76

$1.31 MKD 71.6

-20.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$1.56 MKD 85.2

2.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 ฿48.51

$1.93 MKD 105

-25.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 ฿43.72

$1.12 MKD 61.1

16.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.40

$1.41 MKD 76.8

-21.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿23.62

$1.07 MKD 58.4

-34.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.04

$0.78 MKD 42.62

-34.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ฿139

$3.18 MKD 173

29.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿597

$5.50 MKD 299

223.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.9

$1.05 MKD 57.1

55.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ฿96.3

$1.55 MKD 84.6

85.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 ฿28.84

$1.07 MKD 58.5

-19.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.2 ฿1,785

$23.69 MKD 1,290

124.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ฿40.94

$1.08 MKD 58.7

12.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ฿18.87

$0.90 MKD 48.98

-37.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 ฿77.7

$8.83 MKD 481

-73.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ฿50.3

$1.44 MKD 78.5

4.17%

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

$20.9K ฿700.4K

$30.1K MKD 1.6M

-30.70%

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

$26.7K ฿897.7K

$30.1K MKD 1.6M

-11.04%

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

$61.3 ฿2,057

$125 MKD 6,809

-51.02%

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

$12.50 ฿420

$18.41 MKD 1,002

-32.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.36 ฿684

$27.05 MKD 1,472

-24.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 ฿1,274

$33.61 MKD 1,830

12.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿126

$17.88 MKD 974

-78.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ฿222

$6.54 MKD 356

0.92%

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

$774 ฿26.0K

$269 MKD 14.7K

187.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ฿484.7K

$3,428 MKD 186.6K

321.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,840

$96.5 MKD 5,254

-43.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.26 ฿848

$53.1 MKD 2,889

-52.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 ฿3,041

$101 MKD 5,490

-10.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 ฿2,460

$133 MKD 7,217

-44.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$459 ฿15.4K

$284 MKD 15.5K

61.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 ฿9,865

$168 MKD 9,163

74.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 ฿30.9K

$538 MKD 29.3K

70.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$366 MKD 19.9K

50.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,917 ฿64.4K

$2,114 MKD 115.1K

-9.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 ฿48.5K

$1,326 MKD 72.2K

8.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.9K

$619 MKD 33.7K

-4.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.3

-23.70%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 5, 2026

Last update for Ohrid: October 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $459 in Chiang Mai versus $284 in Ohrid. 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 4% higher in Ohrid, 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 $36.00 in Ohrid. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Chiang Mai vs $213 in Ohrid – so Ohrid 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 Ohrid: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ohrid costs about 9% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,359 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,479 in Ohrid. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $774 per month in Chiang Mai and $269 in Ohrid. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Ohrid – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $906, than in Ohrid at $986. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ohrid it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $906 versus $986 in Ohrid. 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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ohrid makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.