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 $1,168 per month in Skopje vs $947 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,738 per month in Skopje vs $1,411 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,308 per month in Skopje vs $1,874 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Skopje costs about 23% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Skopje and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 15% lower, Chiang Mai 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.46 MKD 500

$2.08 ฿69.2

354.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.97 MKD 1,795

$19.64 ฿651

72.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 MKD 356

$5.65 ฿188

19.12%

Cappuccino

$2.13 MKD 113

$1.81 ฿59.9

17.68%

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

$1.88 MKD 99.3

$0.71 ฿23.66

164.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 MKD 68.8

$0.32 ฿10.48

306.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.77 MKD 146

$2.24 ฿74.2

23.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 MKD 166

$3.63 ฿121

-13.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 68.2

$1.96 ฿65.0

-34.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 MKD 43.20

$1.50 ฿49.83

-45.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MKD 100

$1.34 ฿44.32

41.79%

Eggs

$2.47 MKD 131

$2.26 ฿75.1

9.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.81 MKD 466

$16.26 ฿539

-45.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.56 MKD 400

$2.95 ฿98.0

156.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.11 MKD 799

$9.94 ฿330

52.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 MKD 78.2

$2.57 ฿85.3

-42.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MKD 79.2

$1.06 ฿35.04

41.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 72.8

$1.61 ฿53.5

-14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MKD 109

$1.52 ฿50.4

35.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 MKD 46.38

$1.27 ฿42.14

-30.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 MKD 44.30

$1.07 ฿35.37

-21.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 MKD 34.23

$0.72 ฿23.89

-9.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MKD 30.86

$0.51 ฿16.87

13.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.66 MKD 194

$4.19 ฿139

-12.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.47 MKD 395

$17.87 ฿593

-58.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MKD 55.2

$1.69 ฿56.2

-38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 MKD 83.6

$2.84 ฿94.1

-44.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MKD 41.34

$0.93 ฿30.70

-16.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.82 MKD 1,470

$53.9 ฿1,787

-48.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 MKD 59.2

$1.23 ฿40.95

-8.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 MKD 35.54

$0.58 ฿19.13

15.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 MKD 417

$2.42 ฿80.4

226.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MKD 85.4

$1.41 ฿46.84

14.89%

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

$37.5K MKD 2.0M

$21.4K ฿711.3K

74.73%

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

$28.0K MKD 1.5M

$27.3K ฿906.7K

2.26%

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

$166 MKD 8,749

$63.7 ฿2,112

160.00%

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

$19.14 MKD 1,011

$12.85 ฿426

48.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.69 MKD 1,041

$20.22 ฿671

-2.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.57 MKD 2,039

$38.74 ฿1,285

-0.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.23 MKD 964

$3.97 ฿132

359.19%

Cinema Ticket

$7.31 MKD 386

$6.74 ฿223

8.46%

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

$390 MKD 20.6K

$778 ฿25.8K

-49.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,550 MKD 293.3K

$14.6K ฿484.6K

-62.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.6 MKD 4,734

$54.3 ฿1,801

64.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 MKD 2,122

$25.45 ฿844

57.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MKD 5,680

$94.3 ฿3,129

13.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 MKD 6,151

$73.4 ฿2,436

58.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 MKD 23.5K

$490 ฿16.2K

-9.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 MKD 17.8K

$289 ฿9,596

16.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 MKD 40.4K

$894 ฿29.6K

-14.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$530 MKD 28.0K

$517 ฿17.1K

2.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,710 MKD 143.2K

$1,955 ฿64.9K

38.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,869 MKD 98.8K

$1,477 ฿49.0K

26.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$896 MKD 47.4K

$602 ฿20.0K

48.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

5.57

-23.70%

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

Last update for Skopje: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $445 in Skopje versus $490 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 49% 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 $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $218 in Skopje vs $240 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 23% 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 $1,752 per month in Skopje and $1,421 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 $390 per month in Skopje and $778 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 11% 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 $947, than in Skopje at $1,168. 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 $947 versus $1,168 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.