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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,112 per month in Skopje vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,621 per month in Skopje vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,130 per month in Skopje vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Skopje costs about 28% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Skopje and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 17% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.57 MKD 399

$1.94 ฿63.5

290.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.02 MKD 1,791

$18.64 ฿609

82.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 MKD 350

$7.82 ฿255

-14.96%

Cappuccino

$2.19 MKD 115

$1.95 ฿63.8

12.31%

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

$1.94 MKD 102

$0.85 ฿27.77

128.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MKD 67.5

$0.35 ฿11.58

265.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 MKD 142

$2.13 ฿69.6

26.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MKD 183

$3.73 ฿122

-6.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MKD 70.6

$1.71 ฿56.0

-21.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 MKD 43.34

$1.63 ฿53.2

-49.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MKD 92.4

$1.14 ฿37.15

53.51%

Eggs

$2.19 MKD 115

$1.93 ฿63.1

13.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 MKD 485

$16.21 ฿530

-43.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 MKD 421

$3.12 ฿102

156.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.63 MKD 718

$10.90 ฿356

25.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 MKD 53.3

$2.75 ฿90.0

-63.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 MKD 74.4

$1.21 ฿39.52

16.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 MKD 69.6

$1.62 ฿53.0

-18.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MKD 114

$1.59 ฿51.8

36.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 MKD 46.53

$1.40 ฿45.70

-37.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 MKD 48.49

$1.17 ฿38.17

-21.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 MKD 37.39

$0.66 ฿21.60

7.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MKD 30.57

$0.53 ฿17.22

9.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 MKD 166

$4.69 ฿153

-32.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.41 MKD 390

$18.66 ฿609

-60.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 MKD 55.8

$1.80 ฿58.8

-41.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 MKD 79.7

$3.23 ฿106

-53.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MKD 40.40

$0.90 ฿29.26

-14.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.67 MKD 1,457

$19.21 ฿628

44.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MKD 51.4

$1.41 ฿45.91

-30.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 25.59

$1.29 ฿42.12

-62.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.60 MKD 400

$7.84 ฿256

-3.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MKD 77.3

$1.27 ฿41.58

15.75%

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

$34.0K MKD 1.8M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

59.93%

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

$29.6K MKD 1.6M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

33.20%

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

$160 MKD 8,438

$69.1 ฿2,256

132.04%

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

$18.34 MKD 965

$14.08 ฿460

30.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.13 MKD 1,007

$18.00 ฿588

6.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.37 MKD 2,020

$41.06 ฿1,341

-6.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.56 MKD 925

$6.96 ฿227

152.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 MKD 354

$5.92 ฿193

13.51%

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

$312 MKD 16.4K

$299 ฿9,766

4.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,509 MKD 237.4K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-69.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 MKD 4,063

$54.7 ฿1,787

41.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.43 MKD 2,129

$26.77 ฿874

51.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MKD 5,270

$85.0 ฿2,776

17.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 5,804

$70.6 ฿2,306

56.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 MKD 22.6K

$428 ฿14.0K

0.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 MKD 16.3K

$237 ฿7,752

30.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 MKD 34.0K

$801 ฿26.2K

-19.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 MKD 24.1K

$515 ฿16.8K

-11.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,801 MKD 147.5K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

41.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,829 MKD 96.3K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

23.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$913 MKD 48.1K

$617 ฿20.2K

47.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

-9.20%

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

Last update for Skopje: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $429 in Skopje versus $428 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 48% higher in Skopje, 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 $34.00 in Skopje versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $213 in Skopje vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Skopje 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

Skopje vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skopje costs about 28% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,667 per month in Skopje and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. 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 $312 per month in Skopje and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Skopje – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Skopje at $1,112. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skopje it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,112 in Skopje. 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, Skopje makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.