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 $869 per month in Chiang Mai vs $875 in Strumica, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,362 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,251 in Strumica, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,855 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,627 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 35% lower, Strumica 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 ฿64.3

$3.71 MKD 197

-46.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 ฿612

$28.68 MKD 1,522

-34.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 ฿252

$4.97 MKD 264

55.94%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ฿62.5

$1.67 MKD 88.8

14.97%

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

$0.79 ฿25.79

$1.46 MKD 77.2

-45.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.62

$1.12 MKD 59.3

-67.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ฿72.1

$1.84 MKD 97.6

20.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.18 MKD 116

67.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿53.8

$1.33 MKD 70.6

24.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.72 MKD 38.31

126.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.86

$1.77 MKD 93.9

-32.77%

Eggs

$2.00 ฿65.1

$2.08 MKD 111

-3.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.98 ฿520

$10.36 MKD 550

54.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ฿98.5

$6.37 MKD 338

-52.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 ฿354

$10.38 MKD 551

4.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 ฿90.0

$0.68 MKD 36.07

305.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ฿38.42

$1.37 MKD 72.7

-13.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.5

$1.23 MKD 65.3

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.51

$1.61 MKD 85.5

-5.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿45.10

$0.92 MKD 48.86

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 ฿38.84

$0.84 MKD 44.56

41.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ฿22.86

$0.58 MKD 30.84

20.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.13

$0.54 MKD 28.60

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.58 ฿149

$2.78 MKD 148

64.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.56 ฿539

$5.51 MKD 293

200.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 ฿59.5

$0.98 MKD 52.0

86.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ฿104

$1.20 MKD 63.9

166.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿28.56

$0.73 MKD 38.56

20.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.72 ฿610

$20.59 MKD 1,092

-9.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿44.16

$1.10 MKD 58.3

23.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿43.65

$0.49 MKD 26.24

173.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.75 MKD 358

16.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ฿39.92

$1.50 MKD 79.5

-18.00%

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

$21.6K ฿704.3K

$31.5K MKD 1.7M

-31.35%

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

$22.5K ฿734.3K

$33.3K MKD 1.8M

-32.33%

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

$70.5 ฿2,298

$143 MKD 7,586

-50.66%

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

$13.68 ฿445

$13.40 MKD 711

2.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.45 ฿568

$15.59 MKD 827

11.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.33 ฿1,346

$20.32 MKD 1,078

103.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 ฿188

$4.68 MKD 248

23.29%

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

$307 ฿10.0K

$223 MKD 11.8K

37.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K ฿475.9K

$1,207 MKD 64.1K

1110.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,817

$76.1 MKD 4,036

-26.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 ฿854

$48.25 MKD 2,560

-45.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 ฿2,793

$73.9 MKD 3,922

16.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.2 ฿2,353

$93.0 MKD 4,935

-22.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 ฿14.0K

$324 MKD 17.2K

32.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿7,774

$244 MKD 13.0K

-2.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 ฿26.6K

$511 MKD 27.1K

59.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ฿16.6K

$300 MKD 15.9K

70.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 ฿64.6K

$1,478 MKD 78.4K

34.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,484 ฿48.3K

$1,004 MKD 53.3K

47.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 ฿20.2K

$664 MKD 35.3K

-6.86%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Strumica: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 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 7% 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 – $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

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 $1,303 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,312 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 $307 per month in Chiang Mai and $223 in Strumica. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 29% 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 $869 in Chiang Mai and $875 in Strumica, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $869 versus $875 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.