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 $771 per month in Stip vs $852 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,127 per month in Stip vs $1,360 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,484 per month in Stip vs $1,867 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Stip is about 10% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Stip and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Stip 42% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.51 MKD 294

$2.04 ฿68.2

170.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.00 MKD 855

$18.71 ฿624

-14.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 MKD 270

$7.86 ฿262

-35.62%

Cappuccino

$1.99 MKD 106

$2.03 ฿67.7

-1.97%

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

$1.81 MKD 96.6

$0.80 ฿26.64

126.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 MKD 67.5

$0.35 ฿11.68

260.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 MKD 119

$2.14 ฿71.5

4.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 MKD 141

$3.67 ฿122

-28.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 MKD 71.9

$1.73 ฿57.6

-21.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 MKD 36.73

$1.57 ฿52.4

-56.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 MKD 61.4

$1.20 ฿39.99

-4.17%

Eggs

$2.02 MKD 108

$1.97 ฿65.8

2.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 MKD 549

$16.23 ฿541

-36.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.25 MKD 388

$3.06 ฿102

136.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 MKD 408

$10.80 ฿360

-29.26%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 MKD 51.9

$2.77 ฿92.3

-64.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 76.3

$1.17 ฿38.94

22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 MKD 69.2

$1.71 ฿57.0

-23.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 MKD 84.9

$1.59 ฿53.2

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 MKD 51.3

$1.39 ฿46.51

-30.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MKD 71.2

$1.16 ฿38.56

14.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 MKD 30.61

$0.66 ฿22.05

-13.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 MKD 23.23

$0.52 ฿17.31

-17.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 MKD 157

$4.65 ฿155

-36.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.44 MKD 398

$17.78 ฿593

-58.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 MKD 50.7

$1.79 ฿59.6

-46.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 MKD 96.7

$3.34 ฿111

-45.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 MKD 33.69

$0.91 ฿30.27

-30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.35 MKD 1,087

$18.64 ฿622

9.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 MKD 61.1

$1.41 ฿47.04

-19.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MKD 26.53

$1.34 ฿44.70

-62.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.54 MKD 296

$8.11 ฿270

-31.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 MKD 77.4

$1.23 ฿41.16

17.89%

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

$31.4K MKD 1.7M

$21.4K ฿715.1K

46.35%

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

$33.8K MKD 1.8M

$21.8K ฿728.0K

54.72%

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

$142 MKD 7,600

$71.3 ฿2,379

99.38%

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

$9.13 MKD 488

$14.01 ฿467

-34.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.26 MKD 815

$17.93 ฿598

-14.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.65 MKD 1,531

$40.82 ฿1,362

-29.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿230

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 MKD 249

$5.72 ฿191

-18.36%

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

$219 MKD 11.7K

$308 ฿10.3K

-28.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,198 MKD 64.0K

$14.7K ฿489.7K

-91.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.29 MKD 2,046

$55.8 ฿1,860

-31.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.50 MKD 1,737

$26.04 ฿869

24.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 MKD 4,026

$84.8 ฿2,829

-11.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 MKD 6,006

$71.0 ฿2,368

58.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 MKD 10.8K

$423 ฿14.1K

-52.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$131 MKD 7,007

$242 ฿8,088

-45.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$332 MKD 17.8K

$797 ฿26.6K

-58.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 MKD 11.0K

$507 ฿16.9K

-59.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,214 MKD 64.9K

$1,918 ฿64.0K

-36.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,004 MKD 53.6K

$1,464 ฿48.8K

-31.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$468 MKD 25.0K

$595 ฿19.9K

-21.36%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $203 in Stip 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 27% 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 $244 – 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 11% 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 $1,156 per month in Stip and $1,279 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 $219 per month in Stip and $308 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 $771 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 $771 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.