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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $759 in Prilep, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,145 in Prilep, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,531 in Prilep, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 15% more than Prilep, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Prilep are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Prilep 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$4.15 MKD 220

-52.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$27.80 MKD 1,475

-32.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$5.79 MKD 307

33.85%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.53 MKD 81.4

25.49%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.66 MKD 88.1

-52.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$1.23 MKD 65.1

-70.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.57 MKD 83.2

40.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.04 MKD 108

79.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.23 MKD 65.3

34.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.71 MKD 37.88

129.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.60 MKD 84.7

-25.63%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.13 MKD 113

-6.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$6.96 MKD 369

129.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$5.80 MKD 308

-47.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$9.91 MKD 526

9.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$0.93 MKD 49.26

196.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.43 MKD 75.8

-17.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.01 MKD 53.4

62.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.54 MKD 81.6

-1.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.81 MKD 42.90

70.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.94 MKD 49.68

26.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.62 MKD 32.66

12.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.44 MKD 23.44

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$3.03 MKD 161

51.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$4.71 MKD 250

251.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$0.96 MKD 51.0

90.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.18 MKD 62.8

171.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.40 MKD 21.15

120.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$18.45 MKD 979

1.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$0.96 MKD 50.8

41.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.50 MKD 26.44

168.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.50 MKD 345

20.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.51 MKD 80.2

-18.54%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$33.2K MKD 1.8M

-34.87%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$30.1K MKD 1.6M

-25.05%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$129 MKD 6,823

-45.14%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$17.62 MKD 935

-22.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$14.31 MKD 760

21.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$16.83 MKD 893

145.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$5.79 MKD 307

20.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$5.30 MKD 281

8.87%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$284 MKD 15.1K

7.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$1,179 MKD 62.6K

1139.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$41.69 MKD 2,212

33.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$37.38 MKD 1,983

-29.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$74.4 MKD 3,946

15.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$93.8 MKD 4,979

-23.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$237 MKD 12.6K

81.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$174 MKD 9,229

37.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$511 MKD 27.1K

59.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$285 MKD 15.1K

78.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,059 MKD 56.2K

87.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$833 MKD 44.2K

78.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$607 MKD 32.2K

1.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

10.13%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: June 7, 2026

Last update for Prilep: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $237 in Prilep. 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 Prilep. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $168 in Prilep – so Prilep 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 Prilep: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 15% more than Prilep, 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 $1,138 in Prilep. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Prilep, 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 $284 in Prilep. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $869 in Chiang Mai and $759 in Prilep, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Prilep costs $759 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 Prilep. 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.