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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Chiang Mai vs $770 in Veles, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,144 in Veles, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,835 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,517 in Veles, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 12% more than Veles, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Veles are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 35% lower, Veles 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.5

$5.80 MKD 306

-66.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 ฿609

$18.89 MKD 996

-1.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 ฿255

$5.12 MKD 270

52.73%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.8

$1.59 MKD 83.6

22.64%

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

$0.85 ฿27.77

$1.32 MKD 69.3

-35.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ฿11.58

$0.84 MKD 44.50

-58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ฿69.6

$1.47 MKD 77.7

44.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿122

$2.65 MKD 139

40.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿56.0

$1.05 MKD 55.2

62.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ฿53.2

$0.55 MKD 28.91

196.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ฿37.15

$1.49 MKD 78.3

-23.49%

Eggs

$1.93 ฿63.1

$2.09 MKD 110

-7.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 ฿530

$3.10 MKD 163

422.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.05 MKD 214

-22.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿356

$13.42 MKD 707

-18.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ฿90.0

$1.07 MKD 56.1

157.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.52

$1.40 MKD 73.7

-13.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.25 MKD 65.9

29.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.59 MKD 83.8

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 ฿45.70

$0.99 MKD 52.0

41.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ฿38.17

$1.40 MKD 73.8

-16.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ฿21.60

$0.57 MKD 30.27

15.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.22

$0.53 MKD 27.78

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.69 ฿153

$3.03 MKD 160

54.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.66 ฿609

$6.48 MKD 342

187.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.02 MKD 53.6

76.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 ฿106

$1.86 MKD 98.1

73.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.26

$0.67 MKD 35.52

34.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

$50.1 MKD 2,638

-61.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ฿45.91

$1.10 MKD 58.0

28.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿42.12

$0.49 MKD 25.71

163.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 ฿256

$6.51 MKD 343

20.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ฿41.58

$1.43 MKD 75.6

-11.19%

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

$21.3K ฿694.9K

$27.2K MKD 1.4M

-21.86%

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

$22.2K ฿725.4K

$24.9K MKD 1.3M

-10.65%

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

$69.1 ฿2,256

$116 MKD 6,111

-40.44%

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

$14.08 ฿460

$17.27 MKD 910

-18.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ฿588

$12.28 MKD 647

46.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.06 ฿1,341

$25.78 MKD 1,359

59.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

$1.86 MKD 98.2

274.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 ฿193

$3.36 MKD 177

76.19%

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

$299 ฿9,766

$218 MKD 11.5K

36.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ฿488.3K

$1,216 MKD 64.1K

1130.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ฿1,787

$22.63 MKD 1,193

141.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.77 ฿874

$19.03 MKD 1,003

40.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.0 ฿2,776

$75.3 MKD 3,968

12.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,306

$113 MKD 5,981

-37.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ฿14.0K

$220 MKD 11.6K

94.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,752

$175 MKD 9,198

35.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 ฿26.2K

$293 MKD 15.4K

173.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿16.8K

$238 MKD 12.5K

116.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

$1,239 MKD 65.3K

59.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

$952 MKD 50.2K

54.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

$606 MKD 31.9K

1.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

-29.58%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Last update for Veles: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $428 in Chiang Mai versus $220 in Veles. 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 2% 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 $19.00 in Veles. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Chiang Mai vs $163 in Veles – so Veles 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 Veles: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiang Mai costs about 12% more than Veles, 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 $1,300 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,156 in Veles. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $299 per month in Chiang Mai and $218 in Veles. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $866 in Chiang Mai and $770 in Veles, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Veles costs $770 versus $866 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 Veles. 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.