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 $745 in Prilep, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,134 in Prilep, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,523 in Prilep, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 14% 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 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$4.03 MKD 215

-49.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$27.76 MKD 1,483

-32.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$5.74 MKD 307

36.93%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.46 MKD 78.1

39.04%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.68 MKD 89.7

-52.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$1.29 MKD 68.7

-72.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.56 MKD 83.6

37.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.06 MKD 110

78.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.23 MKD 65.5

40.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.74 MKD 39.68

112.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.59 MKD 85.1

-24.53%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.11 MKD 113

-6.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$7.18 MKD 384

126.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$5.78 MKD 309

-47.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$9.90 MKD 529

9.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$0.86 MKD 45.89

222.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.36 MKD 72.5

-13.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$0.97 MKD 52.0

76.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.46 MKD 78.3

8.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.89 MKD 47.47

56.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.96 MKD 51.5

20.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.61 MKD 32.34

8.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.44 MKD 23.51

18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$3.07 MKD 164

51.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$4.75 MKD 254

274.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$0.91 MKD 48.59

96.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.22 MKD 65.5

173.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.37 MKD 19.65

145.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$18.81 MKD 1,005

-0.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$0.96 MKD 51.2

46.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.49 MKD 26.45

173.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$6.43 MKD 344

26.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.44 MKD 77.2

-14.58%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$34.4K MKD 1.8M

-37.68%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$29.6K MKD 1.6M

-26.32%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$128 MKD 6,845

-44.31%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$17.38 MKD 929

-19.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$14.24 MKD 761

25.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$17.21 MKD 919

137.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

$5.53 MKD 296

24.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$5.28 MKD 282

8.33%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$281 MKD 15.0K

9.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$1,212 MKD 64.8K

1110.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$42.44 MKD 2,268

31.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$37.97 MKD 2,029

-31.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$74.7 MKD 3,994

13.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$95.1 MKD 5,081

-25.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$237 MKD 12.7K

78.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$173 MKD 9,244

40.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$512 MKD 27.3K

55.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$281 MKD 15.0K

80.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,044 MKD 55.8K

83.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$827 MKD 44.2K

76.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$609 MKD 32.5K

-2.28%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Prilep: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 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 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $28.00 in Prilep. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $167 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 14% 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 $1,279 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,118 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 $308 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 46% 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 $745 in Prilep, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Prilep costs $745 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.