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 $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,112 in Skopje, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,621 in Skopje, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,130 in Skopje, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 22% cheaper than Skopje, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Skopje are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Skopje 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$7.57 MKD 399

-74.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$34.02 MKD 1,791

-45.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$6.65 MKD 350

17.59%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$2.19 MKD 115

-10.96%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.94 MKD 102

-56.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$1.28 MKD 67.5

-72.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$2.70 MKD 142

-21.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$3.47 MKD 183

7.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.34 MKD 70.6

27.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.82 MKD 43.34

98.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.75 MKD 92.4

-34.86%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.19 MKD 115

-11.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$9.22 MKD 485

75.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$7.99 MKD 421

-60.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$13.63 MKD 718

-20.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.01 MKD 53.3

172.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.41 MKD 74.4

-14.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.32 MKD 69.6

22.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.17 MKD 114

-26.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.88 MKD 46.53

59.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$0.92 MKD 48.49

27.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.71 MKD 37.39

-7.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.58 MKD 30.57

-8.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.15 MKD 166

48.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$7.41 MKD 390

151.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.06 MKD 55.8

69.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.51 MKD 79.7

113.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.77 MKD 40.40

16.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$27.67 MKD 1,457

-30.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$0.98 MKD 51.4

43.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.49 MKD 25.59

163.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$7.60 MKD 400

3.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.47 MKD 77.3

-13.61%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$34.0K MKD 1.8M

-37.47%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$29.6K MKD 1.6M

-24.93%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$160 MKD 8,438

-56.90%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$18.34 MKD 965

-23.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$19.13 MKD 1,007

-5.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$38.37 MKD 2,020

7.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$17.56 MKD 925

-60.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$6.72 MKD 354

-11.90%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$312 MKD 16.4K

-4.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$4,509 MKD 237.4K

231.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$77.2 MKD 4,063

-29.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$40.43 MKD 2,129

-33.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$100 MKD 5,270

-15.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$110 MKD 5,804

-35.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$429 MKD 22.6K

-0.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$310 MKD 16.3K

-23.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$645 MKD 34.0K

24.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$459 MKD 24.1K

12.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$2,801 MKD 147.5K

-29.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$1,829 MKD 96.3K

-19.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$913 MKD 48.1K

-32.35%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Skopje: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $429 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 48% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai versus $34.00 in Skopje. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $213 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 28% 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,667 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 $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $312 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Skopje at $1,112. 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 $866 versus $1,112 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.