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 $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $765 in Prilep, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,157 in Prilep, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,548 in Prilep, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 22% more than Prilep, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Prilep are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Prilep 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.5

$4.16 MKD 221

-50.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿655

$28.35 MKD 1,508

-30.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$5.78 MKD 307

-1.90%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.3

$1.53 MKD 81.4

18.30%

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

$0.77 ฿25.65

$1.62 MKD 86.1

-52.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.53

$1.22 MKD 64.8

-71.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.9

$1.62 MKD 85.9

36.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$2.11 MKD 112

79.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.23 MKD 65.3

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$0.71 MKD 37.79

112.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.69

$1.57 MKD 83.6

-10.83%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.4

$2.04 MKD 108

10.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿540

$7.21 MKD 384

124.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.7

$6.10 MKD 324

-52.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$11.53 MKD 613

-18.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.4

$0.92 MKD 48.80

191.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.37

$1.44 MKD 76.8

-24.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.0

$0.97 MKD 51.5

67.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.74

$1.34 MKD 71.3

8.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.65

$0.84 MKD 44.82

52.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.31

$0.87 MKD 46.48

21.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.94

$0.60 MKD 32.08

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.56

$0.46 MKD 24.46

15.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.94 MKD 156

43.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿611

$5.05 MKD 269

262.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$0.97 MKD 51.6

68.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.8

$1.18 MKD 62.9

145.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.32

$0.36 MKD 19.34

144.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,795

$18.51 MKD 984

190.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.14

$1.11 MKD 59.1

5.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.30

$0.58 MKD 30.96

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.6

$6.68 MKD 355

-64.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.41

$1.48 MKD 78.9

-2.03%

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

$21.0K ฿701.4K

$34.4K MKD 1.8M

-38.96%

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

$26.4K ฿882.0K

$27.9K MKD 1.5M

-5.26%

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

$63.7 ฿2,125

$128 MKD 6,815

-50.34%

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

$12.89 ฿430

$17.46 MKD 929

-26.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿685

$14.54 MKD 773

41.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,302

$20.70 MKD 1,101

88.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

$8.28 MKD 441

-52.66%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿220

$5.28 MKD 281

24.62%

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

$784 ฿26.2K

$281 MKD 14.9K

179.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.8K

$1,195 MKD 63.6K

1127.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,840

$38.42 MKD 2,043

43.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿826

$36.97 MKD 1,966

-33.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,142

$68.3 MKD 3,630

37.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,469

$82.5 MKD 4,388

-10.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.4K

$242 MKD 12.9K

102.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,620

$176 MKD 9,365

63.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.8K

$506 MKD 26.9K

76.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.4K

$288 MKD 15.3K

81.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.9K

$1,028 MKD 54.7K

92.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.2K

$847 MKD 45.0K

70.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.1K

$622 MKD 33.1K

-3.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.23

31.68%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Prilep: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $242 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 3% higher in Prilep, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $28.00 in Prilep. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $174 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 22% 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,148 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 $784 per month in Chiang Mai and $281 in Prilep. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Prilep, where all-in costs run around $765, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Prilep 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. Prilep costs $765 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 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.