Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens and Kumanovo

For one person, living is cheaper in Kumanovo: $793 a month against $1,775 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $11,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,775
/mo nomad
Kumanovo
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
$793
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Athens and in Kumanovo

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,775 in Athens versus $793 in Kumanovo.

  • Athens $1,775
  • Kumanovo $793

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,721 in Athens versus $1,162 in Kumanovo.

  • Athens $2,721
  • Kumanovo $1,162

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,666 in Athens versus $1,532 in Kumanovo.

  • Athens $3,666
  • Kumanovo $1,532

Living in Athens is roughly 124% more expensive than in Kumanovo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Athens is 31% above, Kumanovo is 41% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Athens
Kumanovo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.69 €14.84
$6.53 MKD 356
155.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.8 €60.3
$27.26 MKD 1,487
148.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.14 €9.91
$6.61 MKD 361
68.53%
Cappuccino
$4.03 €3.58
$1.45 MKD 79.0
177.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 €2.46
$1.40 MKD 76.2
97.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$1.01 MKD 55.2
-45.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.74 €5.10
$1.56 MKD 85.1
267.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 €4.85
$1.69 MKD 92.0
222.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Athens
Kumanovo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 €1.62
$1.23 MKD 66.9
47.97%
White Bread (500g)
$1.38 €1.23
$0.73 MKD 40.01
89.04%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$1.77 MKD 96.4
58.19%
Eggs
$4.83 €4.30
$2.34 MKD 128
106.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.05 €13.39
$7.98 MKD 435
88.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.63 €9.45
$7.57 MKD 413
40.42%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.43 €16.39
$11.49 MKD 627
60.40%
Apples (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$0.94 MKD 51.2
134.04%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 €1.69
$1.44 MKD 78.6
31.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 €1.22
$1.31 MKD 71.4
4.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$1.74 MKD 95.0
20.69%
Potato (1kg)
$1.08 €0.96
$0.85 MKD 46.29
27.06%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 €1.00
$0.80 MKD 43.60
40.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 €1.00
$0.52 MKD 28.25
115.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88 €0.79
$0.59 MKD 32.11
49.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.48 €4.88
$3.13 MKD 171
75.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 €9.01
$7.13 MKD 389
42.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.89
$1.05 MKD 57.5
102.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.04 MKD 57.0
116.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Athens
Kumanovo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 €1.21
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.89 €26.59
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.45 €3.96
$1.12 MKD 61.0
297.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 €0.90
$0.62 MKD 33.68
64.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.92 €15.05
$5.72 MKD 312
195.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.25 €2.00
$1.45 MKD 79.0
55.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K €24.9K
$35.5K MKD 1.9M
-21.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K €25.1K
$27.1K MKD 1.5M
4.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
Kumanovo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 €182
$128 MKD 6,956
60.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.65 €23.71
$16.68 MKD 910
59.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38 €27.02
$18.70 MKD 1,020
62.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Athens
Kumanovo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.5 €48.47
$27.77 MKD 1,515
96.22%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.88 €23.02
$18.35 MKD 1,001
41.04%
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 €9.27
$5.53 MKD 301
88.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Athens
Kumanovo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$569 €506
$356 MKD 19.4K
60.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K €11.2K
$5,659 MKD 308.7K
122.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Athens
Kumanovo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.7 €78.9
$41.62 MKD 2,270
113.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.46 €35.99
$19.80 MKD 1,080
104.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$105 €93.3
$80.5 MKD 4,392
30.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 €108
$49.21 MKD 2,685
146.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Athens
Kumanovo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$741 €659
$241 MKD 13.1K
207.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 €582
$196 MKD 10.7K
234.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,300 €1,156
$410 MKD 22.4K
216.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,148 €1,021
$247 MKD 13.4K
365.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,014 €3,570
$1,610 MKD 87.8K
149.33%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,460 €3,078
$1,434 MKD 78.2K
141.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Athens
Kumanovo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,242 €1,105
$554 MKD 30.2K
124.38%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.48
4
12.00%

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

Last update for Athens: October 10, 2026

Last update for Kumanovo: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Athens
$655
Kumanovo
$196 70.1% $459
Groceries & Markets
Athens
$310
Kumanovo
$194 37.3% $116
Eating Out
Athens
$268
Kumanovo
$110 58.9% $158
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Athens
$262
Kumanovo
$163 37.7% $99
Clothing & Footwear
Athens
$160
Kumanovo
$86 46.2% $74
Sport & Entertainment
Athens
$75
Kumanovo
$39 48.5% $37
Getting Around
Athens
$45
Kumanovo
$4.2 * 90.6% $41

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Athens and $241 in Kumanovo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Athens pays 124% 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: $68.0 in Athens vs $27.00 in Kumanovo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $310 vs $194 per month, with Kumanovo cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇷 Athens
🇲🇰 Kumanovo
🕒 Local time
20:33 8:33 PM
19:33 7:33 PM
1 h behind Athens
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,090,508 Capital
75,051
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

MKD, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 54.55 MKD (100 MKD = 1.83 USD). 1 EUR = 61.33 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Athens Kumanovo 490 km
From you
  • Athens
  • Kumanovo

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

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
Athens vs Kumanovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Athens or Kumanovo?
Kumanovo wins on cost – living expenses run 124% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kumanovo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Athens or in Kumanovo?
Average pay runs 124% higher in Athens, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Athens compared to Kumanovo?
Rent for a central apartment: $741 in Athens versus $241 in Kumanovo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Athens and in Kumanovo?
Childcare runs $569 in Athens versus $356 in Kumanovo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Athens and in Kumanovo?
Dining out is cheaper in Kumanovo – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $68.0 in Athens. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Athens or in Kumanovo?
At $793 in Kumanovo versus $1,775 in Athens, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kumanovo but tight or insufficient in Athens. The gap between the two cities makes Kumanovo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Athens or Kumanovo?
Both work as nomad bases, but Kumanovo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $793 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kumanovo hard to pass up.
How safe is Athens compared to Kumanovo?
Safety-wise, Athens and Kumanovo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Kumanovo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 124% less than in Athens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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