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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $818 per month in Stip vs $932 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,227 per month in Stip vs $1,399 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,636 per month in Stip vs $1,866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Stip is about 12% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Stip and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Stip 40% lower, Chiang Mai 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.59 MKD 403

$2.08 ฿69.5

264.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.87 MKD 1,270

$19.61 ฿655

21.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.62 MKD 352

$5.67 ฿189

16.75%

Cappuccino

$1.86 MKD 99.2

$1.81 ฿60.3

2.76%

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

$1.47 MKD 78.0

$0.77 ฿25.65

90.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MKD 61.7

$0.35 ฿11.53

231.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 MKD 98.4

$2.21 ฿73.9

-16.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 MKD 150

$3.79 ฿127

-25.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 MKD 67.2

$2.05 ฿68.4

-38.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 MKD 43.03

$1.51 ฿50.6

-46.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 MKD 61.8

$1.40 ฿46.69

-17.14%

Eggs

$2.58 MKD 137

$2.26 ฿75.4

14.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.56 MKD 455

$16.19 ฿540

-47.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 MKD 401

$2.90 ฿96.7

160.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.47 MKD 397

$9.42 ฿314

-20.70%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 MKD 48.36

$2.68 ฿89.4

-66.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MKD 74.0

$1.09 ฿36.37

27.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 MKD 72.2

$1.62 ฿54.0

-16.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 MKD 87.6

$1.46 ฿48.74

13.01%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MKD 47.27

$1.28 ฿42.65

-30.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 MKD 42.91

$1.06 ฿35.31

-23.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 MKD 28.79

$0.72 ฿23.94

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 MKD 23.37

$0.53 ฿17.56

-16.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.37 MKD 179

$4.23 ฿141

-20.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.53 MKD 400

$18.29 ฿611

-58.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MKD 58.1

$1.63 ฿54.4

-33.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MKD 80.7

$2.90 ฿96.8

-47.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 MKD 33.84

$0.88 ฿29.32

-27.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.64 MKD 1,204

$53.8 ฿1,795

-57.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 MKD 59.2

$1.17 ฿39.14

-5.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 MKD 34.00

$0.58 ฿19.30

10.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 MKD 303

$2.39 ฿79.6

138.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MKD 80.9

$1.45 ฿48.41

4.83%

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

$35.9K MKD 1.9M

$21.0K ฿701.4K

70.93%

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

$28.0K MKD 1.5M

$26.4K ฿882.0K

5.88%

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

$162 MKD 8,598

$63.7 ฿2,125

154.01%

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

$9.28 MKD 493

$12.89 ฿430

-28.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.90 MKD 899

$20.52 ฿685

-17.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.33 MKD 1,506

$39.02 ฿1,302

-27.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.92 ฿131

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 MKD 352

$6.58 ฿220

0.46%

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

$362 MKD 19.2K

$784 ฿26.2K

-53.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,660 MKD 301.0K

$14.7K ฿489.8K

-61.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.43 MKD 1,990

$55.1 ฿1,840

-32.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.64 MKD 1,682

$24.74 ฿826

27.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MKD 5,602

$94.1 ฿3,142

11.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MKD 6,102

$74.0 ฿2,469

55.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$205 MKD 10.9K

$490 ฿16.4K

-58.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$130 MKD 6,931

$288 ฿9,620

-54.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$340 MKD 18.1K

$891 ฿29.8K

-61.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 MKD 10.8K

$521 ฿17.4K

-60.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,222 MKD 65.0K

$1,974 ฿65.9K

-38.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,002 MKD 53.3K

$1,444 ฿48.2K

-30.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$469 MKD 25.0K

$602 ฿20.1K

-21.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

5.57

-24.06%

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

Last update for Stip: September 15, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $205 in Stip 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 28% 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 $24.00 in Stip versus $20.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $183 in Stip vs $241 in Chiang Mai – so Stip 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 14% more than Stip, 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 $1,227 per month in Stip and $1,398 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $362 per month in Stip and $784 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Stip, where all-in costs run around $818, than in Chiang Mai at $932. In Stip 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. Stip costs $818 versus $932 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 Stip. 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.