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 $852 per month in Chiang Mai vs $864 in Strumica, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,243 in Strumica, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,867 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,621 in Strumica, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 1% cheaper than Strumica, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Strumica are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Strumica 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 ฿68.2

$3.65 MKD 195

-44.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.71 ฿624

$28.65 MKD 1,531

-34.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 ฿262

$5.03 MKD 269

56.26%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ฿67.7

$1.73 MKD 92.3

17.34%

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

$0.80 ฿26.64

$1.52 MKD 81.1

-47.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.68

$1.16 MKD 62.0

-69.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.5

$1.86 MKD 99.6

15.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 ฿122

$2.24 MKD 120

63.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.6

$1.36 MKD 72.5

27.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.4

$0.72 MKD 38.53

118.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.99

$1.78 MKD 95.4

-32.58%

Eggs

$1.97 ฿65.8

$2.08 MKD 111

-5.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.23 ฿541

$10.35 MKD 553

56.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ฿102

$6.19 MKD 331

-50.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 ฿360

$10.37 MKD 554

4.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ฿92.3

$0.65 MKD 34.70

326.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.94

$1.39 MKD 74.2

-15.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.0

$1.21 MKD 64.7

41.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.2

$1.63 MKD 87.3

-2.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.51

$0.87 MKD 46.65

59.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 ฿38.56

$0.88 MKD 46.81

31.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿22.05

$0.57 MKD 30.55

15.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.31

$0.56 MKD 29.97

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 ฿155

$2.79 MKD 149

66.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 ฿593

$5.43 MKD 290

227.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.6

$0.96 MKD 51.3

86.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ฿111

$1.21 MKD 64.6

176.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 ฿30.27

$0.76 MKD 40.81

19.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.64 ฿622

$20.46 MKD 1,094

-8.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿47.04

$1.12 MKD 59.7

25.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿44.70

$0.49 MKD 26.37

173.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ฿270

$6.47 MKD 346

25.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿41.16

$1.43 MKD 76.4

-13.99%

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

$21.4K ฿715.1K

$31.5K MKD 1.7M

-31.91%

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

$21.8K ฿728.0K

$33.5K MKD 1.8M

-34.94%

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

$71.3 ฿2,379

$146 MKD 7,793

-51.09%

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

$14.01 ฿467

$13.21 MKD 706

6.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 ฿598

$15.52 MKD 830

15.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.82 ฿1,362

$20.37 MKD 1,089

100.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$5.72 ฿191

$4.63 MKD 247

23.54%

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

$308 ฿10.3K

$215 MKD 11.5K

43.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K ฿489.7K

$1,201 MKD 64.2K

1122.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,860

$76.3 MKD 4,080

-26.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.04 ฿869

$47.06 MKD 2,515

-44.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ฿2,829

$75.7 MKD 4,047

11.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 ฿2,368

$95.2 MKD 5,089

-25.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ฿14.1K

$323 MKD 17.3K

31.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿8,088

$239 MKD 12.7K

1.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 ฿26.6K

$511 MKD 27.3K

56.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿16.9K

$304 MKD 16.2K

66.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,918 ฿64.0K

$1,474 MKD 78.8K

30.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 ฿48.8K

$996 MKD 53.2K

46.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$652 MKD 34.9K

-8.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

25.00%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Last update for Strumica: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Chiang Mai versus $323 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 10% higher in Strumica, 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 $29.00 in Strumica. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Chiang Mai vs $185 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

Strumica costs about 1% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,296 in Strumica. 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 $308 per month in Chiang Mai and $215 in Strumica. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 32% cheaper in Strumica – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $852 in Chiang Mai and $864 in Strumica, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $864 in Strumica. 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, Strumica makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.