Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Sveti Nikole

For one person, living is cheaper in Sveti Nikole: $858 a month against $938 in Chiang Mai, rent and utilities included – about $960 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Chiang Mai
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Chiang Mai Living Index
41

Cost of Living Index in Sveti Nikole
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Sveti Nikole Living Index

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Chiang Mai

🇹🇭 Thailand

$938

/mo nomad

Sveti Nikole

🇲🇰 North Macedonia

$858

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chiang Mai and in Sveti Nikole

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chiang Mai and in Sveti Nikole actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $938 per month in Chiang Mai vs $858 in Sveti Nikole, rent included.

Chiang Mai $938
Sveti Nikole $858

A couple spends around $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,309 in Sveti Nikole, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,426
Sveti Nikole $1,309

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,760 in Sveti Nikole, rent included.

Chiang Mai $1,914
Sveti Nikole $1,760

Chiang Mai costs about 9% more than Sveti Nikole, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chiang Mai and Sveti Nikole are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 30% lower, Sveti Nikole 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ฿75.4

$8.81 MKD 481

-74.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 ฿641

$32.98 MKD 1,799

-41.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ฿187

$5.36 MKD 292

4.29%

Cappuccino

$1.72 ฿57.6

$1.61 MKD 88.0

6.83%

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

$0.64 ฿21.54

$1.38 MKD 75.5

-53.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿11.18

$1.03 MKD 56.2

-67.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿78.7

$1.51 MKD 82.2

56.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿130

$1.85 MKD 101

110.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ฿68.6

$1.33 MKD 72.6

54.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿46.70

$0.55 MKD 30.14

154.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.89

$1.17 MKD 63.8

9.40%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.3

$2.43 MKD 132

-7.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.94 ฿566

$9.29 MKD 507

82.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.74 ฿91.6

$4.62 MKD 252

-40.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ฿313

$11.58 MKD 632

-19.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 ฿80.3

$1.29 MKD 70.1

86.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ฿33.92

$1.30 MKD 71.1

-22.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ฿53.9

$1.28 MKD 69.9

25.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$1.74 MKD 94.7

-12.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿42.90

$0.74 MKD 40.20

72.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ฿37.22

$1.14 MKD 62.2

-2.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ฿24.09

$0.86 MKD 46.91

-16.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.54

$0.40 MKD 21.64

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$3.07 MKD 168

41.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.73 ฿593

$6.48 MKD 354

173.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ฿54.4

$1.02 MKD 55.9

59.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.3

$1.49 MKD 81.3

91.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 ฿28.31

$0.71 MKD 38.82

19.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 ฿1,801

$23.57 MKD 1,286

128.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ฿39.18

$1.46 MKD 79.8

-19.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ฿19.00

$1.01 MKD 55.2

-43.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿79.2

$3.65 MKD 199

-35.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.32

$1.40 MKD 76.3

3.57%

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

$20.5K ฿684.3K

$31.4K MKD 1.7M

-34.85%

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

$26.5K ฿886.1K

$27.7K MKD 1.5M

-4.37%

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

$62.3 ฿2,083

$127 MKD 6,901

-50.73%

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

$12.27 ฿410

$15.70 MKD 857

-21.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.97 ฿668

$11.97 MKD 653

66.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.91 ฿1,267

$21.94 MKD 1,197

72.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.76 ฿126

$19.74 MKD 1,077

-80.95%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿224

$5.10 MKD 278

31.57%

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

$797 ฿26.6K

$280 MKD 15.3K

184.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K ฿495.7K

$3,095 MKD 168.8K

379.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ฿1,780

$72.7 MKD 3,968

-26.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 ฿837

$31.84 MKD 1,737

-21.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 ฿3,062

$82.0 MKD 4,474

11.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 ฿2,455

$87.4 MKD 4,765

-15.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ฿15.5K

$313 MKD 17.1K

48.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 ฿10.2K

$207 MKD 11.3K

46.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ฿30.6K

$451 MKD 24.6K

102.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 ฿18.5K

$315 MKD 17.2K

75.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,912 ฿63.9K

$1,523 MKD 83.1K

25.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,438 ฿48.1K

$1,169 MKD 63.8K

23.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 ฿19.9K

$539 MKD 29.4K

10.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.23

31.68%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: October 13, 2026

Last update for Sveti Nikole: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chiang Mai

$305 32.5%

Sveti Nikole

$207 24.2% 31.9% $97

Groceries & Markets

Chiang Mai

$238 25.4%

Sveti Nikole

$181 21.1% 24% $57

Clothing & Footwear

Chiang Mai

$110 11.7%

Sveti Nikole

$123 14.4% 12.6% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chiang Mai

$95 10.1%

Sveti Nikole

$154 18% 63% $60

Eating Out

Chiang Mai

$79 8.4%

Sveti Nikole

$127 14.8% 60.5% $48

Getting Around

Chiang Mai

$61 6.5%

Sveti Nikole

$33 3.8% 46.3% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Chiang Mai

$51 5.5%

Sveti Nikole

$32 3.8% 37.4% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $464 in Chiang Mai versus $313 in Sveti Nikole. 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 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 $33.00 in Sveti Nikole. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Chiang Mai vs $181 in Sveti Nikole – so Sveti Nikole wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Chiang Mai

🇲🇰 Sveti Nikole

🕒 Local time

02:56 2:56 AM

21:56 9:56 PM

5 h behind Chiang Mai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

127,240

13,220

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

North Macedonian Denar MKD ден

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 MKD = 1.83 USD

100 MKD = 1.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MKD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 54.55 MKD (100 MKD = 1.83 USD). 1 EUR = 61.33 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Chiang Mai Sveti Nikole 7,570 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Chiang Mai
Sveti Nikole

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Sveti Nikole: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 9% more than Sveti Nikole, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,286 in Sveti Nikole. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $797 per month in Chiang Mai and $280 in Sveti Nikole. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% 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 Sveti Nikole, where all-in costs run around $858, than in Chiang Mai at $938. In Sveti Nikole 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. Sveti Nikole costs $858 versus $938 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 Sveti Nikole. 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.