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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $789 in Stip, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,143 in Stip, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,496 in Stip, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 10% more than Stip, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Stip are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Stip 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$5.75 MKD 305

-65.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$15.76 MKD 836

19.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$5.13 MKD 272

51.07%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.90 MKD 101

1.05%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.82 MKD 96.4

-56.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$1.27 MKD 67.4

-71.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$2.23 MKD 119

-0.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.79 MKD 148

31.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.34 MKD 71.0

23.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.71 MKD 37.79

129.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.15 MKD 61.2

3.48%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.01 MKD 107

-0.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$10.40 MKD 552

53.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$7.10 MKD 377

-57.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$7.64 MKD 405

42.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$0.98 MKD 52.0

181.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.44 MKD 76.2

-18.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.30 MKD 69.0

26.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.58 MKD 83.8

-3.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.97 MKD 51.4

42.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$1.39 MKD 74.0

-14.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.58 MKD 30.95

20.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.44 MKD 23.15

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.96 MKD 157

54.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$7.52 MKD 399

120.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$1.02 MKD 54.0

79.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.81 MKD 96.2

76.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.63 MKD 33.31

39.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$20.24 MKD 1,074

-7.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.11 MKD 59.0

22.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.49 MKD 25.90

173.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$5.54 MKD 294

41.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.45 MKD 76.7

-15.17%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$31.4K MKD 1.7M

-31.22%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$33.2K MKD 1.8M

-32.07%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$148 MKD 7,829

-52.19%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$9.59 MKD 509

42.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$15.54 MKD 825

12.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$28.24 MKD 1,498

46.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$4.76 MKD 252

21.22%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$215 MKD 11.4K

42.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$1,179 MKD 62.6K

1139.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$37.02 MKD 1,964

50.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$32.45 MKD 1,722

-19.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$74.2 MKD 3,937

15.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$114 MKD 6,041

-36.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$208 MKD 11.0K

106.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$133 MKD 7,053

79.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$335 MKD 17.8K

143.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$204 MKD 10.8K

150.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,208 MKD 64.1K

64.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$985 MKD 52.3K

50.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$469 MKD 24.9K

31.90%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Stip: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Chiang Mai versus $208 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 32% 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: $241 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 10% 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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,184 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $215 in Stip. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $789 in Stip, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Stip costs $789 versus $869 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.