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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Chiang Mai vs $894 in Strumica, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,257 in Strumica, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,620 in Strumica, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 4% more than Strumica, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Strumica are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 32% lower, Strumica 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ฿69.3

$3.68 MKD 197

-43.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.61 ฿653

$23.66 MKD 1,266

-17.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 ฿189

$3.84 MKD 206

47.66%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ฿60.1

$1.63 MKD 87.1

11.04%

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

$0.77 ฿25.58

$1.39 MKD 74.3

-44.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.49

$1.24 MKD 66.6

-71.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.93 MKD 103

14.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿126

$2.01 MKD 108

88.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.2

$1.31 MKD 70.1

56.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ฿50.4

$0.77 MKD 41.19

96.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 ฿46.57

$1.80 MKD 96.2

-22.22%

Eggs

$2.26 ฿75.2

$2.19 MKD 117

3.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿539

$8.66 MKD 463

86.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ฿96.4

$6.42 MKD 344

-54.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 ฿314

$10.27 MKD 550

-8.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.68 ฿89.2

$0.69 MKD 36.71

288.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ฿36.28

$1.45 MKD 77.4

-24.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.8

$1.19 MKD 63.6

36.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.61

$2.10 MKD 112

-30.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.54

$0.91 MKD 48.53

40.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 ฿35.21

$0.83 MKD 44.17

27.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿23.88

$0.60 MKD 32.34

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.51

$0.62 MKD 33.32

-14.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 ฿141

$2.88 MKD 154

46.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.29 ฿609

$5.77 MKD 309

216.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.3

$0.97 MKD 52.1

68.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.20 MKD 64.3

141.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.24

$0.73 MKD 39.32

20.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.8 ฿1,790

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.04

$1.11 MKD 59.7

5.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 ฿19.25

$0.60 MKD 31.88

-3.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ฿79.4

$7.96 MKD 426

-69.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.28

$1.58 MKD 84.7

-8.23%

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

$21.0K ฿699.5K

$37.2K MKD 2.0M

-43.57%

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

$26.4K ฿879.7K

$27.8K MKD 1.5M

-4.99%

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

$63.7 ฿2,119

$157 MKD 8,419

-59.54%

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

$12.89 ฿429

$13.02 MKD 697

-1.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 ฿683

$18.96 MKD 1,015

8.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.02 ฿1,299

$20.68 MKD 1,107

88.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿130

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 ฿219

$7.73 MKD 414

-14.88%

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

$784 ฿26.1K

$372 MKD 19.9K

110.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿488.4K

$5,799 MKD 310.3K

153.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ฿1,835

$86.4 MKD 4,622

-36.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 ฿824

$37.62 MKD 2,013

-34.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 ฿3,133

$103 MKD 5,537

-9.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.0 ฿2,462

$92.1 MKD 4,928

-19.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 ฿16.3K

$324 MKD 17.3K

51.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 ฿9,594

$244 MKD 13.0K

18.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.7K

$490 MKD 26.2K

82.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.3K

$302 MKD 16.1K

72.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,974 ฿65.7K

$1,478 MKD 79.1K

33.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 ฿48.1K

$990 MKD 53.0K

45.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ฿20.0K

$669 MKD 35.8K

-10.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

39.25%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Strumica: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Chiang Mai versus $324 in Strumica. 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 11% higher in Strumica, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $24.00 in Strumica. Groceries tell a different story – $241 in Chiang Mai vs $186 in Strumica – so Strumica 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 Strumica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 4% more than Strumica, 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 $1,398 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,340 in Strumica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Strumica, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai and $24.00 in Strumica. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Strumica, where all-in costs run around $894, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Strumica it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chiang Mai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Strumica costs $894 versus $932 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 Strumica. 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.