Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Abakan and Skopje

For one person, living is cheaper in Abakan: $961 a month against $1,112 in Skopje, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Abakan, Russia
Skopje, North Macedonia
Abakan
🇷🇺 Russia
$961
/mo nomad
Skopje
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
$1,112
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Abakan and in Skopje

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Abakan and in Skopje actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $961 per month in Abakan vs $1,112 in Skopje, rent included.

  • Abakan $961
  • Skopje $1,112

A couple spends around $1,491 per month in Abakan vs $1,657 in Skopje, rent included.

  • Abakan $1,491
  • Skopje $1,657

A family of three spends $2,022 per month in Abakan vs $2,202 in Skopje, rent included.

  • Abakan $2,022
  • Skopje $2,202

Abakan is about 14% cheaper than Skopje, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Abakan and Skopje are more affordable than the global median – Abakan 29% lower, Skopje 18% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Abakan
Skopje
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.59 ₽934
$9.68 MKD 532
19.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.29 ₽2,762
$34.35 MKD 1,889
-0.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.61 ₽532
$6.52 MKD 359
1.38%
Cappuccino
$3.08 ₽248
$2.14 MKD 118
43.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.15 ₽92.2
$1.81 MKD 99.6
-36.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ₽39.30
$1.38 MKD 75.9
-64.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.78 ₽143
$2.68 MKD 147
-33.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01 ₽243
$3.03 MKD 167
-0.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Abakan
Skopje
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.33 ₽107
$1.28 MKD 70.2
3.91%
White Bread (500g)
$0.84 ₽67.8
$0.74 MKD 40.78
13.51%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.03 ₽163
$1.85 MKD 102
9.73%
Eggs
$1.88 ₽151
$2.50 MKD 137
-24.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.97 ₽1,045
$8.11 MKD 446
59.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.11 ₽492
$7.36 MKD 405
-16.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.83 ₽953
$15.00 MKD 825
-21.13%
Apples (1kg)
$2.15 ₽173
$1.43 MKD 78.5
50.35%
Banana (1kg)
$1.92 ₽155
$1.41 MKD 77.3
36.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 ₽179
$1.31 MKD 72.3
69.47%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.31 ₽266
$1.86 MKD 103
77.96%
Potato (1kg)
$0.60 ₽48.55
$0.88 MKD 48.32
-31.82%
Onion (1kg)
$0.60 ₽48.18
$0.78 MKD 42.75
-23.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 ₽100
$0.63 MKD 34.65
98.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 ₽61.8
$0.59 MKD 32.34
30.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.69 ₽217
$3.36 MKD 185
-19.94%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.05 ₽648
$7.48 MKD 411
7.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.95 ₽76.9
$1.06 MKD 58.4
-10.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 ₽123
$1.50 MKD 82.3
1.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Abakan
Skopje
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.45 ₽36.27
$0.71 MKD 38.83
-36.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.98 ₽2,495
$25.73 MKD 1,415
20.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.42 ₽195
$1.08 MKD 59.2
124.07%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.38 ₽30.57
$0.57 MKD 31.62
-33.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.82 ₽469
$7.50 MKD 413
-22.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 ₽76.9
$1.59 MKD 87.5
-40.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$46.0K ₽3.7M
$34.3K MKD 1.9M
34.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.5K ₽3.6M
$26.1K MKD 1.4M
70.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Abakan
Skopje
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$81.7 ₽6,577
$158 MKD 8,710
-48.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.55 ₽527
$18.80 MKD 1,034
-65.16%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.55 ₽769
$19.20 MKD 1,056
-50.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Abakan
Skopje
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.30 ₽3,004
$37.03 MKD 2,037
0.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.83 ₽1,758
$17.35 MKD 954
25.82%
Cinema Ticket
$6.47 ₽521
$7.44 MKD 409
-13.04%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Abakan
Skopje
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$349 ₽28.1K
$369 MKD 20.3K
-5.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,938 ₽478.2K
$5,668 MKD 311.8K
4.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Abakan
Skopje
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.54 ₽3,506
$85.6 MKD 4,707
-49.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.5 ₽4,388
$36.99 MKD 2,035
47.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 ₽8,664
$101 MKD 5,582
6.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$80.2 ₽6,456
$112 MKD 6,176
-28.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Abakan
Skopje
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$359 ₽28.9K
$394 MKD 21.6K
-8.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$245 ₽19.7K
$314 MKD 17.2K
-21.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$547 ₽44.0K
$715 MKD 39.3K
-23.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$373 ₽30.0K
$483 MKD 26.6K
-22.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,357 ₽189.8K
$2,745 MKD 151.0K
-14.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,721 ₽138.6K
$1,844 MKD 101.4K
-6.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Abakan
Skopje
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$627 ₽50.5K
$876 MKD 48.2K
-28.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
21.45
4.23
407.09%

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

Last update for Abakan: October 25, 2026

Last update for Skopje: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Abakan
$245
Skopje
$314 28.1% $69
Groceries & Markets
Abakan
$231
Skopje
$211 8.8% $20
Eating Out
Abakan
$171
Skopje
$155 9.3% $16
Clothing & Footwear
Abakan
$129
Skopje
$151 17.7% $23
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Abakan
$98
Skopje
$196 101% $99
Sport & Entertainment
Abakan
$50
Skopje
$52 3.3% $1.7
Getting Around
Abakan
$37
Skopje
$33 12.4% $4.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $359 in Abakan versus $394 in Skopje. 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 40% higher in Skopje. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34 in Abakan versus $34 in Skopje. Groceries tell a different story – $231 in Abakan vs $211 in Skopje – so Skopje wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇷🇺 Abakan
🇲🇰 Skopje
🕒 Local time
01:16 1:16 AM
19:16 7:16 PM
6 h behind Abakan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
187,239
422,540 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MKD, USD, EUR to RUB – Russian Ruble Converter

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 80.53 RUB (100 RUB = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 89.92 RUB (100 RUB = 1.11 EUR).

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 55 MKD (100 MKD = 1.82 USD). 1 EUR = 61.41 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Abakan Skopje 5,160 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Abakan
  • Skopje

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Abakan vs Skopje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Abakan cheaper than Skopje?
Yes – Skopje is pricier by about 16%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,441 per month in Abakan and $1,667 in Skopje. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Abakan and Skopje?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $359 in Abakan and $394 in Skopje. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
What are total monthly expenses in Abakan and in Skopje?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $961 in Abakan and $1,112 in Skopje. That makes Abakan about 14% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $349 per month in Abakan and $369 in Skopje. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is Abakan or Skopje more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Abakan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Abakan. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Skopje makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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