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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $771 in Stip, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,127 in Stip, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,484 in Stip, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 11% more than Stip, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Stip are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Stip 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$5.51 MKD 294

-62.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$16.00 MKD 855

16.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$5.06 MKD 270

55.34%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.99 MKD 106

2.01%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.81 MKD 96.6

-55.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$1.26 MKD 67.5

-72.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$2.23 MKD 119

-4.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.64 MKD 141

39.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.35 MKD 71.9

28.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.69 MKD 36.73

127.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.15 MKD 61.4

4.35%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.02 MKD 108

-2.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$10.27 MKD 549

58.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$7.25 MKD 388

-57.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$7.64 MKD 408

41.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$0.97 MKD 51.9

185.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.43 MKD 76.3

-18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.30 MKD 69.2

31.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.59 MKD 84.9

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.96 MKD 51.3

44.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$1.33 MKD 71.2

-12.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.57 MKD 30.61

15.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.43 MKD 23.23

20.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.93 MKD 157

58.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$7.44 MKD 398

138.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$0.95 MKD 50.7

88.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.81 MKD 96.7

84.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.63 MKD 33.69

44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$20.35 MKD 1,087

-8.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.14 MKD 61.1

23.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.50 MKD 26.53

168.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$5.54 MKD 296

46.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.45 MKD 77.4

-15.17%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$31.4K MKD 1.7M

-31.67%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$33.8K MKD 1.8M

-35.37%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$142 MKD 7,600

-49.85%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$9.13 MKD 488

53.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$15.26 MKD 815

17.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$28.65 MKD 1,531

42.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$4.67 MKD 249

22.48%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$219 MKD 11.7K

40.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$1,198 MKD 64.0K

1125.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$38.29 MKD 2,046

45.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$32.50 MKD 1,737

-19.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$75.3 MKD 4,026

12.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$112 MKD 6,006

-36.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$203 MKD 10.8K

108.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$131 MKD 7,007

84.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$332 MKD 17.8K

139.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$206 MKD 11.0K

145.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,214 MKD 64.9K

58.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$1,004 MKD 53.6K

45.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$468 MKD 25.0K

27.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

-29.58%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Stip: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $203 in Stip. 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 27% 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 $16.00 in Stip. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $186 – making Stip the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Stip: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 11% more than Stip, 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 $1,156 in Stip. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Stip, 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 $219 in Stip. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $771 in Stip, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Stip costs $771 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 Stip. 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.