Cost of Living Comparison Between Astrakhan and Skopje Cost of Living Comparison Between Astrakhan and Skopje

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Astrakhan versus $1,087 in Skopje.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,520 in Astrakhan versus $1,634 in Skopje.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,027 in Astrakhan versus $2,180 in Skopje.

Living in Astrakhan costs roughly 7% less than in Skopje, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Astrakhan 24% lower, Skopje 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.59 ₽828

$7.58 MKD 407

39.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.58 ₽2,623

$33.45 MKD 1,794

0.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 ₽585

$6.70 MKD 359

11.64%

Cappuccino

$1.93 ₽151

$2.27 MKD 122

-14.98%

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

$0.90 ₽70.5

$2.03 MKD 109

-55.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₽40.79

$1.29 MKD 69.2

-59.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 ₽101

$2.66 MKD 143

-51.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 ₽204

$3.35 MKD 180

-21.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 ₽101

$1.29 MKD 69.4

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 ₽83.1

$0.76 MKD 40.80

39.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ₽83.6

$1.67 MKD 89.6

-35.93%

Eggs

$1.76 ₽138

$2.21 MKD 119

-20.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.67 ₽1,928

$9.13 MKD 490

170.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 ₽389

$7.78 MKD 417

-35.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.61 ₽517

$13.71 MKD 735

-51.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 ₽121

$1.06 MKD 57.1

46.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ₽140

$1.43 MKD 76.8

25.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ₽128

$1.35 MKD 72.5

21.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 ₽188

$2.17 MKD 116

10.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 ₽73.9

$0.89 MKD 47.75

6.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 ₽44.31

$0.90 MKD 48.45

-36.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ₽113

$0.69 MKD 36.92

110.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₽47.23

$0.55 MKD 29.70

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.85 ₽145

$3.18 MKD 170

-41.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.99 ₽311

$7.26 MKD 389

-45.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 ₽82.0

$1.07 MKD 57.2

-1.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₽145

$1.52 MKD 81.5

21.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ₽38.01

$0.76 MKD 40.94

-35.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.13 ₽1,729

$28.58 MKD 1,533

-22.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 ₽198

$0.96 MKD 51.6

163.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ₽27.49

$0.48 MKD 26.01

-27.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 ₽296

$7.41 MKD 397

-48.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 ₽72.8

$1.49 MKD 79.7

-37.58%

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

$34.9K ₽2.7M

$33.7K MKD 1.8M

3.77%

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

$32.1K ₽2.5M

$29.3K MKD 1.6M

9.81%

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

$104 ₽8,092

$160 MKD 8,574

-35.20%

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

$6.32 ₽494

$18.05 MKD 968

-64.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.57 ₽435

$19.13 MKD 1,026

-70.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.01 ₽3,829

$38.66 MKD 2,074

26.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.01 ₽1,954

$17.36 MKD 931

44.07%

Cinema Ticket

$5.29 ₽413

$6.62 MKD 355

-20.09%

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

$116 ₽9,096

$320 MKD 17.2K

-63.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,914 ₽540.1K

$4,642 MKD 249.0K

48.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 ₽4,469

$77.5 MKD 4,157

-26.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.36 ₽2,450

$40.16 MKD 2,154

-21.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 ₽6,912

$100 MKD 5,364

-11.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 ₽9,901

$110 MKD 5,913

14.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 ₽31.9K

$425 MKD 22.8K

-3.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 ₽25.2K

$310 MKD 16.6K

4.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 ₽34.1K

$645 MKD 34.6K

-32.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 ₽29.5K

$463 MKD 24.8K

-18.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,282 ₽100.2K

$2,731 MKD 146.5K

-53.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$649 ₽50.7K

$1,740 MKD 93.3K

-62.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$429 ₽33.5K

$886 MKD 47.5K

-51.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.33

4.54

237.67%

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

Last update for Astrakhan: July 14, 2026

Last update for Skopje: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $408 in Astrakhan and $425 in Skopje. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Skopje pays 106% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $34.00 in Astrakhan vs $33.00 in Skopje for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $210 per month, with Skopje cheaper across the board.

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

Astrakhan vs Skopje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Astrakhan and Skopje differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $1,087 including rent). Astrakhan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 106% lower in Skopje. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $408 in Astrakhan versus $425 in Skopje. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Astrakhan runs roughly 29% less than in Skopje. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $116 in Astrakhan versus $320 in Skopje. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,013 in Astrakhan versus $1,087 in Skopje, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Astrakhan but tight or insufficient in Skopje. The gap between the two cities makes Astrakhan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Astrakhan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Skopje. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.