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 $998 per month in Tetovo vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,481 per month in Tetovo vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,963 per month in Tetovo vs $1,835 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 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.80 MKD 306

$1.94 ฿63.5

198.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.17 MKD 1,327

$18.64 ฿609

35.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.15 MKD 271

$7.82 ฿255

-34.14%

Cappuccino

$1.46 MKD 77.1

$1.95 ฿63.8

-25.13%

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

$1.48 MKD 78.1

$0.85 ฿27.77

74.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MKD 50.3

$0.35 ฿11.58

171.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 MKD 117

$2.13 ฿69.6

4.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 MKD 116

$3.73 ฿122

-41.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 MKD 66.0

$1.71 ฿56.0

-26.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 MKD 33.91

$1.63 ฿53.2

-60.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 71.2

$1.14 ฿37.15

18.42%

Eggs

$2.09 MKD 110

$1.93 ฿63.1

8.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.34 MKD 387

$16.21 ฿530

-54.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.29 MKD 279

$3.12 ฿102

69.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.45 MKD 551

$10.90 ฿356

-4.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 MKD 56.9

$2.75 ฿90.0

-60.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MKD 73.2

$1.21 ฿39.52

14.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 MKD 53.5

$1.62 ฿53.0

-37.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 MKD 83.0

$1.59 ฿51.8

-1.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 MKD 48.29

$1.40 ฿45.70

-34.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 MKD 38.10

$1.17 ฿38.17

-38.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 MKD 44.75

$0.66 ฿21.60

28.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MKD 29.21

$0.53 ฿17.22

3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 MKD 165

$4.69 ฿153

-33.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.80 MKD 253

$18.66 ฿609

-74.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 MKD 53.2

$1.80 ฿58.8

-43.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 MKD 77.3

$3.23 ฿106

-54.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MKD 19.22

$0.90 ฿29.26

-60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.24 MKD 592

$19.21 ฿628

-41.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MKD 60.7

$1.41 ฿45.91

-18.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MKD 26.33

$1.29 ฿42.12

-61.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.66 MKD 351

$7.84 ฿256

-15.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 MKD 78.9

$1.27 ฿41.58

18.11%

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

$32.0K MKD 1.7M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

50.49%

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

$33.9K MKD 1.8M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

52.84%

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

$144 MKD 7,611

$69.1 ฿2,256

109.09%

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

$17.60 MKD 928

$14.08 ฿460

25.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.27 MKD 804

$18.00 ฿588

-15.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.4 MKD 4,761

$41.06 ฿1,341

120.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$4.63 MKD 244

$5.92 ฿193

-21.79%

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

$222 MKD 11.7K

$299 ฿9,766

-25.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,221 MKD 117.1K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-85.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 MKD 3,533

$54.7 ฿1,787

22.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.33 MKD 2,494

$26.77 ฿874

76.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.8 MKD 3,940

$85.0 ฿2,776

-12.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 MKD 5,848

$70.6 ฿2,306

57.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$369 MKD 19.5K

$428 ฿14.0K

-13.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 MKD 15.0K

$237 ฿7,752

19.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$601 MKD 31.7K

$801 ฿26.2K

-25.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 MKD 26.3K

$515 ฿16.8K

-3.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,287 MKD 67.8K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-34.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,142 MKD 60.2K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-22.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$912 MKD 48.1K

$617 ฿20.2K

47.76%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $369 in Tetovo versus $428 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 48% 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 $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $170 in Tetovo vs $246 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 $1,497 per month in Tetovo and $1,300 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 $299 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 45% 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 $998 in Tetovo and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $998 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.