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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $861 per month in Chiang Mai vs $989 in Tetovo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,475 in Tetovo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,838 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,960 in Tetovo, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 13% cheaper than Tetovo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Tetovo are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 36% lower, Tetovo 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 ฿65.9

$5.53 MKD 297

-64.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.35 ฿617

$24.86 MKD 1,333

-26.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ฿252

$5.00 MKD 268

49.60%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ฿67.8

$1.49 MKD 79.8

35.57%

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

$0.85 ฿28.52

$1.53 MKD 82.0

-44.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.97

$1.02 MKD 54.5

-64.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ฿71.9

$2.23 MKD 119

-4.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ฿121

$2.14 MKD 115

67.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.29 MKD 69.3

27.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ฿52.7

$0.69 MKD 37.16

127.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ฿40.05

$1.42 MKD 76.2

-16.20%

Eggs

$1.94 ฿65.1

$2.02 MKD 108

-3.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.19 ฿545

$7.42 MKD 398

118.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 ฿101

$5.39 MKD 289

-44.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ฿368

$10.42 MKD 559

4.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 ฿91.2

$1.07 MKD 57.4

153.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.27

$1.37 MKD 73.4

-14.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.03 MKD 55.2

64.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿54.0

$1.64 MKD 87.9

-2.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$0.97 MKD 51.8

42.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 ฿40.47

$0.74 MKD 39.44

62.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ฿22.51

$0.86 MKD 46.17

-22.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.74

$0.56 MKD 30.15

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.64 ฿156

$3.14 MKD 169

47.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.62 ฿593

$4.50 MKD 242

291.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$0.94 MKD 50.3

97.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ฿111

$1.46 MKD 78.1

126.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 ฿29.70

$0.37 MKD 19.58

137.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 ฿651

$11.47 MKD 615

68.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ฿45.92

$1.10 MKD 59.0

23.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 ฿45.00

$0.53 MKD 28.28

152.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 ฿276

$6.69 MKD 359

22.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ฿41.20

$1.50 MKD 80.5

-18.67%

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

$21.4K ฿718.5K

$31.5K MKD 1.7M

-32.29%

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

$22.5K ฿758.1K

$33.4K MKD 1.8M

-32.47%

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

$70.7 ฿2,378

$142 MKD 7,636

-50.36%

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

$14.04 ฿472

$17.74 MKD 952

-20.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.49 ฿589

$15.29 MKD 820

14.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.15 ฿1,418

$88.5 MKD 4,746

-52.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿199

$4.74 MKD 254

24.89%

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

$309 ฿10.4K

$222 MKD 11.9K

39.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ฿500.7K

$2,252 MKD 120.8K

560.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.8 ฿1,876

$66.2 MKD 3,551

-15.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.11 ฿879

$48.36 MKD 2,594

-46.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 ฿2,793

$74.8 MKD 4,012

11.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.5 ฿2,371

$114 MKD 6,128

-38.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ฿14.5K

$358 MKD 19.2K

20.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 ฿8,040

$278 MKD 14.9K

-13.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ฿27.7K

$595 MKD 31.9K

38.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 ฿17.2K

$507 MKD 27.2K

0.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,915 ฿64.4K

$1,224 MKD 65.7K

56.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 ฿49.4K

$1,118 MKD 60.0K

31.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$579 ฿19.5K

$888 MKD 47.6K

-34.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.75

33.33%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Tetovo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Chiang Mai versus $358 in Tetovo. 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 53% higher in Tetovo, 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 $18.00 in Chiang Mai versus $25.00 in Tetovo. Groceries tell a different story – $243 in Chiang Mai vs $171 in Tetovo – so Tetovo 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 Tetovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tetovo costs about 15% 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 $1,292 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,483 in Tetovo. 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 $309 per month in Chiang Mai and $222 in Tetovo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 42% cheaper in Tetovo – 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 $861 in Chiang Mai and $989 in Tetovo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $989 in Tetovo. 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, Tetovo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.