🙂A single person spends $849 per month in Kocani vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,281 per month in Kocani vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,713 per month in Kocani vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.
🙂Kocani and Chiang Mai have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.
📊Both Kocani and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Kocani36% lower, Chiang Mai36% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kocani
Chiang Mai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.48MKD 293
$2.04฿68.2
168.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.76MKD 1,484
$18.71฿624
48.37%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.96MKD 265
$7.86฿262
-36.90%
Cappuccino
$1.12MKD 59.8
$2.03฿67.7
-44.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52MKD 81.2
$0.80฿26.64
90.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.15MKD 61.4
$0.35฿11.68
228.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.30MKD 123
$2.14฿71.5
7.48%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69MKD 144
$3.67฿122
-26.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kocani
Chiang Mai
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.23MKD 65.8
$1.73฿57.6
-28.90%
White Bread(500g)
$0.57MKD 30.49
$1.57฿52.4
-63.69%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.47MKD 78.6
$1.20฿39.99
22.50%
Eggs
$1.90MKD 101
$1.97฿65.8
-3.55%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.32MKD 552
$16.23฿541
-36.41%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.55MKD 297
$3.06฿102
81.37%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.30MKD 711
$10.80฿360
23.15%
Apples(1kg)
$0.76MKD 40.73
$2.77฿92.3
-72.56%
Banana(1kg)
$1.40MKD 74.8
$1.17฿38.94
19.66%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.26MKD 67.3
$1.71฿57.0
-26.32%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.48MKD 79.1
$1.59฿53.2
-6.92%
Potato(1kg)
$0.98MKD 52.5
$1.39฿46.51
-29.50%
Onion(1kg)
$1.29MKD 69.1
$1.16฿38.56
11.21%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.59MKD 31.30
$0.66฿22.05
-10.61%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53MKD 28.16
$0.52฿17.31
1.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.96MKD 158
$4.65฿155
-36.34%
Wine(Bottle)
$3.64MKD 194
$17.78฿593
-79.53%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.98MKD 52.4
$1.79฿59.6
-45.25%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79MKD 95.7
$3.34฿111
-46.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Kocani
Chiang Mai
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.69MKD 37.00
$0.91฿30.27
-24.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$20.42MKD 1,091
$18.64฿622
9.55%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.15MKD 61.4
$1.41฿47.04
-18.44%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.53MKD 28.32
$1.34฿44.70
-60.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.78MKD 202
$8.11฿270
-53.39%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49MKD 79.6
$1.23฿41.16
21.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.6KMKD 1.7M
$21.4K฿715.1K
47.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.3KMKD 1.8M
$21.8K฿728.0K
57.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kocani
Chiang Mai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$146MKD 7,778
$71.3฿2,379
104.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.45MKD 933
$14.01฿467
24.55%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.29MKD 817
$17.93฿598
-14.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kocani
Chiang Mai
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$20.89MKD 1,116
$40.82฿1,362
-48.82%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$6.88฿230
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.81MKD 257
$5.72฿191
-15.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kocani
Chiang Mai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$217MKD 11.6K
$308฿10.3K
-29.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,203MKD 64.3K
$14.7K฿489.7K
-91.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kocani
Chiang Mai
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.3MKD 4,133
$55.8฿1,860
38.66%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.39MKD 2,586
$26.04฿869
85.83%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.3MKD 4,075
$84.8฿2,829
-10.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111MKD 5,917
$71.0฿2,368
55.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kocani
Chiang Mai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$279MKD 14.9K
$423฿14.1K
-33.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$193MKD 10.3K
$242฿8,088
-20.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$554MKD 29.6K
$797฿26.6K
-30.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$304MKD 16.3K
$507฿16.9K
-39.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,446MKD 77.3K
$1,918฿64.0K
-24.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,254MKD 67.0K
$1,464฿48.8K
-14.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kocani
Chiang Mai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$466MKD 24.9K
$595฿19.9K
-21.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.1
5
42.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Kocani: July 27, 2026
Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $279 in Kocani versus $423 in Chiang Mai. 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 28% higher in Chiang Mai. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Kocani versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $185 in Kocani vs $244 in Chiang Mai – so Kocani 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
Kocani vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Kocani and in Chiang Mai?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,274 per month in Kocani and $1,279 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Kocani or Chiang Mai?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kocani, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Kocani and in Chiang Mai?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Kocani and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How expensive is transport in Kocani compared to Chiang Mai?
Public transport costs about 10% less in Kocani. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,200/month in Kocani or in Chiang Mai?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $849 in Kocani and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Kocani or Chiang Mai?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kocani costs $849 versus $852 in Chiang Mai. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Kocani compared to Chiang Mai?
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.
Should I move to Kocani or to Chiang Mai?
If budget matters most, go with Kocani. 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.