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

Name: Chiang Mai
Address: Chiang Mai, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $770 per month in Veles vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,144 per month in Veles vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,517 per month in Veles vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Veles is about 11% cheaper than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Veles and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Veles 43% 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

$18.89 MKD 996

$18.64 ฿609

1.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 MKD 270

$7.82 ฿255

-34.53%

Cappuccino

$1.59 MKD 83.6

$1.95 ฿63.8

-18.46%

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

$1.32 MKD 69.3

$0.85 ฿27.77

55.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 MKD 44.50

$0.35 ฿11.58

140.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 MKD 77.7

$2.13 ฿69.6

-30.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 MKD 139

$3.73 ฿122

-28.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 MKD 55.2

$1.71 ฿56.0

-38.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MKD 28.91

$1.63 ฿53.2

-66.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MKD 78.3

$1.14 ฿37.15

30.70%

Eggs

$2.09 MKD 110

$1.93 ฿63.1

8.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.10 MKD 163

$16.21 ฿530

-80.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 MKD 214

$3.12 ฿102

29.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.42 MKD 707

$10.90 ฿356

23.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 MKD 56.1

$2.75 ฿90.0

-61.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MKD 73.7

$1.21 ฿39.52

15.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 MKD 65.9

$1.62 ฿53.0

-22.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 MKD 83.8

$1.59 ฿51.8

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 MKD 52.0

$1.40 ฿45.70

-29.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 MKD 73.8

$1.17 ฿38.17

19.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 MKD 30.27

$0.66 ฿21.60

-13.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MKD 27.78

$0.53 ฿17.22

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 MKD 160

$4.69 ฿153

-35.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.48 MKD 342

$18.66 ฿609

-65.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 MKD 53.6

$1.80 ฿58.8

-43.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 MKD 98.1

$3.23 ฿106

-42.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 MKD 35.52

$0.90 ฿29.26

-25.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.1 MKD 2,638

$19.21 ฿628

160.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 MKD 58.0

$1.41 ฿45.91

-21.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 25.71

$1.29 ฿42.12

-62.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.51 MKD 343

$7.84 ฿256

-16.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MKD 75.6

$1.27 ฿41.58

12.60%

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

$27.2K MKD 1.4M

$21.3K ฿694.9K

27.97%

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

$24.9K MKD 1.3M

$22.2K ฿725.4K

11.92%

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

$116 MKD 6,111

$69.1 ฿2,256

67.89%

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

$17.27 MKD 910

$14.08 ฿460

22.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.28 MKD 647

$18.00 ฿588

-31.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.78 MKD 1,359

$41.06 ฿1,341

-37.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.86 MKD 98.2

$6.96 ฿227

-73.28%

Cinema Ticket

$3.36 MKD 177

$5.92 ฿193

-43.24%

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

$218 MKD 11.5K

$299 ฿9,766

-26.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,216 MKD 64.1K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-91.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.63 MKD 1,193

$54.7 ฿1,787

-58.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.03 MKD 1,003

$26.77 ฿874

-28.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 MKD 3,968

$85.0 ฿2,776

-11.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MKD 5,981

$70.6 ฿2,306

60.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$220 MKD 11.6K

$428 ฿14.0K

-48.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 MKD 9,198

$237 ฿7,752

-26.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$293 MKD 15.4K

$801 ฿26.2K

-63.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 MKD 12.5K

$515 ฿16.8K

-53.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,239 MKD 65.3K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-37.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$952 MKD 50.2K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-35.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$606 MKD 31.9K

$617 ฿20.2K

-1.92%

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 Veles: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $220 in Veles 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 2% 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 $19.00 in Veles versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $163 vs $246 – making Veles 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

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

Chiang Mai costs about 12% more than Veles, 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 Veles 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 Veles, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $218 per month in Veles and $299 in Chiang Mai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $770 in Veles and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Veles costs $770 versus $866 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 Veles. 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.