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 $791 per month in Stip vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,157 per month in Stip vs $1,354 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,523 per month in Stip vs $1,857 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Stip is about 7% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Stip and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Stip 41% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.78 MKD 304

$1.96 ฿63.6

194.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.17 MKD 849

$18.81 ฿611

-14.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 MKD 261

$7.92 ฿258

-37.37%

Cappuccino

$1.98 MKD 104

$1.91 ฿62.2

3.66%

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

$1.82 MKD 95.6

$0.84 ฿27.25

116.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MKD 67.2

$0.35 ฿11.44

265.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 MKD 121

$2.21 ฿71.7

4.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 MKD 141

$3.80 ฿124

-29.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MKD 67.2

$1.64 ฿53.2

-21.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 MKD 37.73

$1.62 ฿52.8

-55.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 MKD 60.7

$1.18 ฿38.40

-1.69%

Eggs

$2.09 MKD 110

$2.01 ฿65.4

3.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MKD 536

$15.89 ฿517

-35.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.30 MKD 383

$3.01 ฿98.0

142.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.36 MKD 386

$10.77 ฿350

-31.66%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 MKD 50.8

$2.61 ฿85.0

-62.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 75.1

$1.22 ฿39.65

17.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 MKD 65.9

$1.70 ฿55.4

-25.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 MKD 83.3

$1.58 ฿51.2

0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 MKD 51.1

$1.32 ฿42.89

-26.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 72.4

$1.17 ฿38.01

17.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 MKD 30.88

$0.67 ฿21.85

-11.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 MKD 23.16

$0.56 ฿18.21

-21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 MKD 161

$4.53 ฿147

-32.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.75 MKD 407

$18.20 ฿592

-57.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 MKD 52.3

$1.83 ฿59.6

-45.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 MKD 98.4

$3.23 ฿105

-42.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MKD 35.48

$0.89 ฿28.83

-23.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.40 MKD 1,071

$19.38 ฿630

5.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 MKD 57.8

$1.35 ฿43.95

-18.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MKD 26.15

$1.35 ฿43.79

-62.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.53 MKD 290

$8.25 ฿268

-32.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MKD 75.4

$1.27 ฿41.40

13.39%

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

$32.4K MKD 1.7M

$21.2K ฿687.8K

52.97%

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

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

$22.5K ฿731.0K

49.21%

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

$143 MKD 7,499

$70.2 ฿2,281

103.55%

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

$9.46 MKD 497

$13.77 ฿448

-31.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.75 MKD 827

$17.60 ฿572

-10.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.10 MKD 1,476

$41.57 ฿1,352

-32.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.60 ฿215

Cinema Ticket

$4.65 MKD 244

$5.78 ฿188

-19.55%

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

$223 MKD 11.7K

$306 ฿9,953

-27.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,202 MKD 63.1K

$14.8K ฿482.0K

-91.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.86 MKD 1,988

$54.4 ฿1,768

-30.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.53 MKD 1,656

$26.14 ฿850

20.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 MKD 3,957

$84.5 ฿2,748

-10.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 MKD 5,873

$69.4 ฿2,257

61.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$207 MKD 10.9K

$424 ฿13.8K

-51.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$134 MKD 7,016

$238 ฿7,743

-43.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$337 MKD 17.7K

$825 ฿26.8K

-59.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 MKD 10.8K

$515 ฿16.7K

-60.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,237 MKD 65.0K

$2,049 ฿66.6K

-39.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,003 MKD 52.7K

$1,523 ฿49.5K

-34.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$484 MKD 25.4K

$635 ฿20.6K

-23.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

42.00%

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

Last update for Stip: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $207 in Stip versus $424 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 31% 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 $16.00 in Stip versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $186 vs $243 – making Stip 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 8% 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 $1,186 per month in Stip and $1,278 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 $223 per month in Stip and $306 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.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $791 in Stip and $852 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Stip costs $791 versus $852 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.