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 $889 in Strumica, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,354 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,282 in Strumica, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,857 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,674 in Strumica, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 4% 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 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿64.0

$3.65 MKD 193

-46.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.81 ฿615

$28.37 MKD 1,496

-33.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 ฿259

$4.99 MKD 263

58.72%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ฿62.6

$1.66 MKD 87.6

15.06%

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

$0.84 ฿27.41

$1.52 MKD 80.3

-44.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.51

$1.15 MKD 60.7

-69.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.91 MKD 101

15.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿124

$2.21 MKD 116

71.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.34 MKD 70.5

22.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ฿53.1

$0.73 MKD 38.32

121.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.62

$1.79 MKD 94.2

-34.08%

Eggs

$2.01 ฿65.8

$2.04 MKD 108

-1.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿520

$10.14 MKD 535

56.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ฿98.5

$6.27 MKD 330

-51.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 ฿352

$10.53 MKD 556

2.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ฿85.5

$0.64 MKD 33.64

307.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿39.88

$1.45 MKD 76.5

-15.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.7

$1.20 MKD 63.1

41.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.5

$1.65 MKD 86.8

-4.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 ฿43.14

$0.94 MKD 49.71

40.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.23

$0.89 MKD 46.71

31.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿21.98

$0.57 MKD 30.19

17.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.32

$0.57 MKD 30.01

-1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿148

$2.76 MKD 145

64.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.20 ฿595

$5.56 MKD 293

227.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿60.0

$0.91 MKD 48.11

101.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.20 MKD 63.3

169.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 ฿29.00

$0.73 MKD 38.39

21.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.38 ฿634

$19.98 MKD 1,053

-3.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ฿44.20

$1.16 MKD 61.0

16.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 ฿44.05

$0.49 MKD 25.64

175.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ฿270

$6.69 MKD 353

23.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.64

$1.43 MKD 75.2

-11.19%

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

$21.2K ฿691.8K

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

-33.63%

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

$22.5K ฿735.3K

$33.4K MKD 1.8M

-32.77%

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

$70.2 ฿2,294

$146 MKD 7,703

-51.98%

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

$13.77 ฿450

$13.29 MKD 701

3.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ฿575

$15.59 MKD 822

12.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.57 ฿1,360

$20.90 MKD 1,102

98.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿216

Cinema Ticket

$5.78 ฿189

$4.74 MKD 250

21.94%

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

$306 ฿10.0K

$219 MKD 11.6K

39.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿484.8K

$1,195 MKD 63.0K

1140.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 ฿1,778

$77.7 MKD 4,099

-30.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.14 ฿855

$47.91 MKD 2,526

-45.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 ฿2,764

$74.4 MKD 3,921

13.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ฿2,270

$93.1 MKD 4,911

-25.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ฿13.9K

$320 MKD 16.9K

32.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 ฿7,788

$244 MKD 12.9K

-2.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.0K

$496 MKD 26.1K

66.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$305 MKD 16.1K

69.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,049 ฿67.0K

$1,546 MKD 81.5K

32.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,523 ฿49.8K

$1,009 MKD 53.2K

50.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$635 ฿20.8K

$659 MKD 34.7K

-3.61%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Strumica: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Chiang Mai versus $320 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 4% 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 $28.00 in Strumica. Groceries tell a different story – $243 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

Strumica costs about 4% 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 $1,278 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,334 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 $306 per month in Chiang Mai and $219 in Strumica. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 31% 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 $889 in Strumica, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $852 versus $889 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.