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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,182 in Skopje, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,723 in Skopje, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,263 in Skopje, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 20% cheaper than Skopje, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Skopje are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Skopje 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$9.68 MKD 511

-78.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$34.37 MKD 1,816

-42.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$6.65 MKD 351

-12.93%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$2.23 MKD 118

-17.94%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.86 MKD 98.5

-58.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$1.28 MKD 67.6

-75.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$2.81 MKD 148

-16.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$3.25 MKD 172

13.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.33 MKD 70.4

52.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.78 MKD 41.46

105.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.94 MKD 102

-26.80%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$2.47 MKD 131

-11.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$8.73 MKD 461

82.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$7.49 MKD 396

-59.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$15.07 MKD 796

-34.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$1.53 MKD 80.7

71.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.50 MKD 79.0

-26.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.38 MKD 73.0

18.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$2.08 MKD 110

-26.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.92 MKD 48.78

34.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.84 MKD 44.24

34.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.62 MKD 32.51

19.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.57 MKD 30.31

-12.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$3.63 MKD 192

17.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$7.37 MKD 389

143.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.09 MKD 57.5

55.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$1.56 MKD 82.3

85.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.80 MKD 42.10

17.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$28.14 MKD 1,487

96.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$1.11 MKD 58.4

10.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.68 MKD 35.75

-22.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$7.98 MKD 422

-69.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.54 MKD 81.2

-6.49%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$37.0K MKD 2.0M

-42.74%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$28.4K MKD 1.5M

-3.82%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$168 MKD 8,854

-61.26%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$19.55 MKD 1,033

-31.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$19.73 MKD 1,042

5.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$38.05 MKD 2,010

6.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$17.83 MKD 942

-77.85%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$7.13 MKD 377

-5.89%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$389 MKD 20.5K

102.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$5,501 MKD 290.6K

174.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$91.6 MKD 4,837

-38.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$39.71 MKD 2,098

-37.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$107 MKD 5,629

-12.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$114 MKD 6,023

-34.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$443 MKD 23.4K

9.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$339 MKD 17.9K

-15.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$750 MKD 39.6K

21.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$535 MKD 28.3K

-0.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$2,778 MKD 146.8K

-28.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$1,892 MKD 99.9K

-23.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$906 MKD 47.9K

-33.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.25

31.06%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Skopje: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $443 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 50% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $34.00 in Skopje. Groceries tell a different story – $242 in Chiang Mai vs $217 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 24% 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,774 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 $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $389 in Skopje. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Skopje – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Skopje at $1,182. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skopje it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $950 versus $1,182 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.