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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $989 per month in Tetovo vs $861 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,475 per month in Tetovo vs $1,350 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,960 per month in Tetovo vs $1,838 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Tetovo costs about 15% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tetovo and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Tetovo 26% lower, Chiang Mai 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.53 MKD 297

$1.96 ฿65.9

182.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.86 MKD 1,333

$18.35 ฿617

35.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 MKD 268

$7.48 ฿252

-33.16%

Cappuccino

$1.49 MKD 79.8

$2.02 ฿67.8

-26.24%

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

$1.53 MKD 82.0

$0.85 ฿28.52

80.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 MKD 54.5

$0.36 ฿11.97

183.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 MKD 119

$2.14 ฿71.9

4.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 MKD 115

$3.59 ฿121

-40.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 69.3

$1.65 ฿55.5

-21.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 MKD 37.16

$1.57 ฿52.7

-56.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MKD 76.2

$1.19 ฿40.05

19.33%

Eggs

$2.02 MKD 108

$1.94 ฿65.1

4.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 MKD 398

$16.19 ฿545

-54.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.39 MKD 289

$2.99 ฿101

80.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.42 MKD 559

$10.94 ฿368

-4.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 MKD 57.4

$2.71 ฿91.2

-60.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 73.4

$1.17 ฿39.27

17.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 MKD 55.2

$1.69 ฿56.8

-39.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 MKD 87.9

$1.60 ฿54.0

2.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 MKD 51.8

$1.38 ฿46.56

-29.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 MKD 39.44

$1.20 ฿40.47

-38.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 MKD 46.17

$0.67 ฿22.51

28.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MKD 30.15

$0.56 ฿18.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.14 MKD 169

$4.64 ฿156

-32.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.50 MKD 242

$17.62 ฿593

-74.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 MKD 50.3

$1.86 ฿62.6

-49.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 MKD 78.1

$3.30 ฿111

-55.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MKD 19.58

$0.88 ฿29.70

-57.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.47 MKD 615

$19.34 ฿651

-40.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 MKD 59.0

$1.36 ฿45.92

-19.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MKD 28.28

$1.34 ฿45.00

-60.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 MKD 359

$8.21 ฿276

-18.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 MKD 80.5

$1.22 ฿41.20

22.95%

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

$31.5K MKD 1.7M

$21.4K ฿718.5K

47.69%

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

$33.4K MKD 1.8M

$22.5K ฿758.1K

48.09%

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

$142 MKD 7,636

$70.7 ฿2,378

101.44%

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

$17.74 MKD 952

$14.04 ฿472

26.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.29 MKD 820

$17.49 ฿589

-12.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.5 MKD 4,746

$42.15 ฿1,418

109.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.88 ฿231

Cinema Ticket

$4.74 MKD 254

$5.92 ฿199

-19.93%

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

$222 MKD 11.9K

$309 ฿10.4K

-28.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,252 MKD 120.8K

$14.9K ฿500.7K

-84.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 MKD 3,551

$55.8 ฿1,876

18.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.36 MKD 2,594

$26.11 ฿879

85.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.8 MKD 4,012

$83.0 ฿2,793

-9.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MKD 6,128

$70.5 ฿2,371

62.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$358 MKD 19.2K

$432 ฿14.5K

-17.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$278 MKD 14.9K

$239 ฿8,040

16.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$595 MKD 31.9K

$822 ฿27.7K

-27.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 MKD 27.2K

$512 ฿17.2K

-0.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,224 MKD 65.7K

$1,915 ฿64.4K

-36.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,118 MKD 60.0K

$1,467 ฿49.4K

-23.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$888 MKD 47.6K

$579 ฿19.5K

53.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.75

-25.00%

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

Last update for Tetovo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $358 in Tetovo versus $432 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 53% higher in Tetovo, 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 $25.00 in Tetovo versus $18.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $171 in Tetovo vs $243 in Chiang Mai – so Tetovo 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

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

Tetovo costs about 15% more than Chiang Mai, 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 $1,483 per month in Tetovo and $1,292 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 $222 per month in Tetovo and $309 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 42% cheaper in Tetovo – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $989 in Tetovo and $861 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $861 versus $989 in Tetovo. 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, Tetovo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.