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 $950 per month in Chiang Mai vs $785 in Veles, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,430 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,155 in Veles, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,909 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,525 in Veles, rent included.

Chiang Mai costs about 21% more than Veles, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiang Mai and Veles are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 31% lower, Veles 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.10 ฿69.3

$8.74 MKD 462

-75.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.84 ฿656

$18.64 MKD 985

6.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 ฿191

$5.75 MKD 304

0.70%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ฿60.4

$1.58 MKD 83.6

15.82%

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

$0.78 ฿25.61

$1.31 MKD 69.1

-40.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ฿10.37

$0.84 MKD 44.63

-63.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ฿77.2

$1.55 MKD 81.9

50.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 ฿122

$3.30 MKD 175

12.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ฿67.1

$1.10 MKD 58.1

84.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ฿52.7

$0.51 MKD 26.71

213.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.75

$1.53 MKD 80.7

-7.19%

Eggs

$2.18 ฿71.9

$2.56 MKD 135

-14.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.91 ฿526

$2.96 MKD 156

437.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ฿102

$4.03 MKD 213

-23.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ฿326

$15.26 MKD 806

-35.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ฿86.8

$1.53 MKD 80.8

71.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.19

$1.44 MKD 75.9

-23.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.8

$1.43 MKD 75.5

13.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.6

$2.02 MKD 107

-24.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.13

$0.87 MKD 45.72

42.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ฿37.37

$0.87 MKD 46.00

29.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ฿24.38

$0.62 MKD 32.61

19.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.48

$0.58 MKD 30.53

-13.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 ฿141

$3.49 MKD 184

22.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.97 ฿594

$6.42 MKD 339

179.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿56.1

$1.10 MKD 58.2

54.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ฿95.7

$1.55 MKD 82.0

87.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 ฿31.13

$0.79 MKD 41.62

18.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 ฿1,827

$24.38 MKD 1,288

126.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ฿40.76

$1.14 MKD 60.3

7.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ฿17.66

$0.69 MKD 36.42

-23.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 ฿79.3

$7.61 MKD 402

-68.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 ฿47.55

$1.43 MKD 75.4

0.70%

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

$21.2K ฿700.2K

$27.4K MKD 1.4M

-22.66%

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

$27.3K ฿902.1K

$25.2K MKD 1.3M

8.50%

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

$64.9 ฿2,145

$116 MKD 6,103

-43.79%

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

$13.35 ฿441

$17.79 MKD 940

-24.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.83 ฿688

$12.37 MKD 654

68.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ฿1,336

$26.11 MKD 1,379

54.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 ฿131

$18.35 MKD 969

-78.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 ฿222

$3.32 MKD 175

102.11%

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

$787 ฿26.0K

$229 MKD 12.1K

243.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿499.6K

$5,616 MKD 296.7K

169.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ฿1,858

$22.52 MKD 1,190

149.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 ฿824

$18.78 MKD 992

32.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 ฿3,063

$74.0 MKD 3,911

25.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ฿2,482

$111 MKD 5,876

-32.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ฿16.0K

$223 MKD 11.8K

116.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 ฿9,491

$178 MKD 9,390

61.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ฿30.1K

$291 MKD 15.3K

213.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ฿17.5K

$235 MKD 12.4K

125.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,980 ฿65.4K

$1,229 MKD 64.9K

61.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 ฿47.9K

$982 MKD 51.9K

47.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.0K

$601 MKD 31.8K

0.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.25

31.06%

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

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Veles: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $484 in Chiang Mai versus $223 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 1% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $19.00 in Veles. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $174 – making Veles the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 21% 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 $1,426 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,178 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 $787 per month in Chiang Mai and $229 in Veles. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% 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 Veles, where all-in costs run around $785, than in Chiang Mai at $950. In Veles 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. Veles costs $785 versus $950 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.