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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $759 in Prilep, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,138 in Prilep, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,518 in Prilep, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 12% more than Prilep, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Prilep are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Prilep 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$4.03 MKD 213

-51.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$27.62 MKD 1,456

-31.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$5.72 MKD 302

38.46%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.53 MKD 80.7

24.84%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.60 MKD 84.2

-47.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$1.22 MKD 64.2

-71.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.63 MKD 85.9

35.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.03 MKD 107

87.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.21 MKD 63.8

35.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.74 MKD 39.13

118.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.64 MKD 86.6

-28.05%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.10 MKD 111

-4.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$7.21 MKD 380

120.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$5.87 MKD 310

-48.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$10.13 MKD 534

6.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$0.85 MKD 44.99

207.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.37 MKD 72.1

-10.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$0.94 MKD 49.71

80.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.48 MKD 77.8

6.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.88 MKD 46.14

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$1.00 MKD 52.6

17.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.65 MKD 34.40

3.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.41 MKD 21.88

36.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.97 MKD 157

52.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$4.66 MKD 246

290.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$0.91 MKD 48.06

101.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.18 MKD 62.5

173.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.40 MKD 20.97

122.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$18.92 MKD 998

2.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$0.97 MKD 51.0

39.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.49 MKD 25.95

175.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$6.52 MKD 344

26.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.45 MKD 76.7

-12.41%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$33.3K MKD 1.8M

-36.38%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$29.7K MKD 1.6M

-24.16%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$129 MKD 6,801

-45.61%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$17.73 MKD 935

-22.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$14.15 MKD 746

24.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$16.98 MKD 896

144.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

$5.61 MKD 296

17.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$5.32 MKD 281

8.65%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$281 MKD 14.8K

8.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$1,202 MKD 63.4K

1133.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$42.03 MKD 2,216

29.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$36.95 MKD 1,949

-29.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$75.6 MKD 3,986

11.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$95.4 MKD 5,031

-27.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$234 MKD 12.3K

81.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$171 MKD 9,020

39.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$522 MKD 27.5K

58.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$289 MKD 15.2K

78.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,041 MKD 54.9K

96.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$865 MKD 45.6K

75.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$620 MKD 32.7K

2.49%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Prilep: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $234 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 – $243 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 12% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,139 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 $306 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 45% 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 $852 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 $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 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.