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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,087 in Skopje, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,634 in Skopje, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,180 in Skopje, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 21% cheaper than Skopje, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Skopje are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Skopje 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.8

$7.58 MKD 407

-74.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$33.45 MKD 1,796

-45.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$6.70 MKD 360

11.64%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$2.27 MKD 122

-11.01%

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

$0.85 ฿28.50

$2.03 MKD 109

-58.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.96

$1.29 MKD 69.3

-72.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.8

$2.66 MKD 143

-19.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$3.35 MKD 180

7.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.29 MKD 69.5

27.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.76 MKD 40.83

106.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.02

$1.67 MKD 89.7

-28.74%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.21 MKD 119

-12.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿544

$9.13 MKD 490

77.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$7.78 MKD 418

-61.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$13.71 MKD 736

-20.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.06 MKD 57.1

155.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.25

$1.43 MKD 76.8

-18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.7

$1.35 MKD 72.6

25.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$2.17 MKD 116

-26.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.89 MKD 47.79

55.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.45

$0.90 MKD 48.49

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.50

$0.69 MKD 36.95

-2.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.73

$0.55 MKD 29.72

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.18 MKD 171

45.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$7.26 MKD 390

142.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.5

$1.07 MKD 57.3

73.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.52 MKD 81.5

117.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.68

$0.76 MKD 40.98

15.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿650

$28.58 MKD 1,534

-32.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.90

$0.96 MKD 51.6

41.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.98

$0.48 MKD 26.03

179.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$7.41 MKD 398

10.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.18

$1.49 MKD 79.7

-18.12%

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

$21.4K ฿718.1K

$33.7K MKD 1.8M

-36.56%

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

$22.5K ฿757.7K

$29.3K MKD 1.6M

-23.03%

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

$70.7 ฿2,376

$160 MKD 8,580

-55.79%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$18.05 MKD 969

-22.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿588

$19.13 MKD 1,027

-8.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,417

$38.66 MKD 2,075

9.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

$17.36 MKD 932

-60.37%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$6.62 MKD 356

-10.57%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$320 MKD 17.2K

-3.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.4K

$4,642 MKD 249.2K

220.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,875

$77.5 MKD 4,160

-28.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿878

$40.16 MKD 2,156

-34.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,792

$100 MKD 5,368

-16.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,369

$110 MKD 5,918

-36.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$425 MKD 22.8K

1.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,035

$310 MKD 16.6K

-22.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$645 MKD 34.6K

27.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$463 MKD 24.8K

10.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$2,731 MKD 146.6K

-29.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.3K

$1,740 MKD 93.4K

-15.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$886 MKD 47.6K

-34.60%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Skopje: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $425 in Skopje. 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 53% higher in Skopje, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $33.00 in Skopje. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $210 in Skopje – so Skopje 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 Skopje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skopje costs about 26% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,631 in Skopje. 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $320 in Skopje. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Skopje – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $861 in Chiang Mai and $1,087 in Skopje, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $1,087 in Skopje. 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, Skopje makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.