Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and North Macedonia

For one person, living is cheaper in North Macedonia: $940 a month against $2,626 in Australia, rent and utilities included – about $20,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Australia
North Macedonia
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,626
/mo nomad
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
$940
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Australia and in North Macedonia

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

A single person spends $2,626 per month in Australia vs $940 in North Macedonia, rent included.

  • Australia $2,626
  • North Macedonia $940

A couple spends around $3,810 per month in Australia vs $1,393 in North Macedonia, rent included.

  • Australia $3,810
  • North Macedonia $1,393

A family of three spends $4,994 per month in Australia vs $1,847 in North Macedonia, rent included.

  • Australia $4,994
  • North Macedonia $1,847

The regional cost range is wider in Australia ($1,068–$3,303) than in North Macedonia ($730–$1,112), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in Australia is about 179% higher than in North Macedonia on average.

Australia sits 93% above the global median, while North Macedonia is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Australia
North Macedonia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.65 A$25.00
$7.37 MKD 405
139.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.2 A$121
$27.76 MKD 1,527
206.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.09 A$15.71
$5.37 MKD 295
106.52%
Cappuccino
$3.90 A$5.52
$1.67 MKD 91.7
133.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 A$4.04
$1.62 MKD 89.0
75.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31 A$3.28
$1.18 MKD 65.0
95.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.53 A$10.66
$2.15 MKD 118
250.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.59 A$12.16
$2.69 MKD 148
219.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Australia
North Macedonia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.76 A$2.49
$1.29 MKD 70.8
36.43%
White Bread (500g)
$2.81 A$3.98
$0.73 MKD 40.03
284.93%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 A$3.18
$1.56 MKD 85.6
43.59%
Eggs
$5.02 A$7.12
$2.21 MKD 121
127.15%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.87 A$13.98
$8.29 MKD 456
19.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.32 A$13.20
$6.77 MKD 372
37.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.86 A$21.05
$12.23 MKD 673
21.50%
Apples (1kg)
$3.82 A$5.41
$1.16 MKD 64.0
229.31%
Banana (1kg)
$2.92 A$4.14
$1.43 MKD 78.7
104.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.13 A$4.44
$1.33 MKD 73.2
135.34%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.81 A$6.81
$1.77 MKD 97.4
171.75%
Potato (1kg)
$2.80 A$3.97
$0.94 MKD 51.8
197.87%
Onion (1kg)
$2.38 A$3.37
$0.97 MKD 53.3
145.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.37 A$3.36
$0.67 MKD 36.88
253.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.65 A$2.34
$0.51 MKD 28.10
223.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$39.13 A$55.4
$3.26 MKD 179
1100.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.93 A$19.73
$5.48 MKD 301
154.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.96 A$7.02
$0.99 MKD 54.7
401.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.17 A$7.33
$1.34 MKD 73.9
285.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Australia
North Macedonia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.42 A$3.43
$0.70 MKD 38.48
245.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$94.6 A$134
$25.31 MKD 1,392
273.80%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.49 A$4.95
$1.26 MKD 69.1
176.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.60 A$2.26
$0.68 MKD 37.38
135.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.84 A$56.4
$6.68 MKD 367
496.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.39 A$1.97
$1.47 MKD 80.8
-5.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.0K A$42.5K
$33.9K MKD 1.9M
-11.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K A$36.5K
$27.7K MKD 1.5M
-7.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Australia
North Macedonia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 A$290
$144 MKD 7,922
42.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.33 A$40.14
$17.29 MKD 951
63.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.8 A$83.3
$18.06 MKD 994
225.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Australia
North Macedonia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.7 A$78.8
$26.80 MKD 1,475
107.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.57 A$27.73
$14.58 MKD 802
34.22%
Cinema Ticket
$15.38 A$21.78
$6.51 MKD 358
136.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Australia
North Macedonia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,145 A$3,039
$289 MKD 15.9K
643.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.3K A$26.0K
$4,691 MKD 258.1K
291.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Australia
North Macedonia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.3 A$111
$66.4 MKD 3,654
17.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.3 A$79.7
$38.71 MKD 2,130
45.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 A$163
$88.1 MKD 4,848
30.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 A$174
$103 MKD 5,675
19.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Australia
North Macedonia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,591 A$2,254
$306 MKD 16.8K
419.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,293 A$1,831
$241 MKD 13.3K
436.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,524 A$3,576
$533 MKD 29.3K
373.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,005 A$2,841
$357 MKD 19.7K
461.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,751 A$12.4K
$1,930 MKD 106.2K
353.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,260 A$8,868
$1,360 MKD 74.8K
360.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Australia
North Macedonia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,984 A$5,644
$732 MKD 40.3K
444.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.93
4.69
26.44%

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

Last update for Australia: October 27, 2026

Last update for North Macedonia: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Australia
$1.3K
North Macedonia
$241 81.4% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Australia
$374
North Macedonia
$191 48.9% $183
Eating Out
Australia
$297
North Macedonia
$122 58.7% $174
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Australia
$292
North Macedonia
$179 38.6% $113
Clothing & Footwear
Australia
$168
North Macedonia
$133 20.5% $34
Getting Around
Australia
$116
North Macedonia
$33 71.7% $83
Sport & Entertainment
Australia
$86
North Macedonia
$40 53.9% $47

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,383 in Australia vs $274 in North Macedonia. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,749 in Canberra and $394 in Skopje.

Average salary: $3,874 in Australia vs $639 in North Macedonia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 405% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 211% more in Australia.

Public transport is 250% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are about 6.1 times higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Australia.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Australia
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
🕒 Local time
22:57 10:57 PM
12:57 12:57 PM
10 h behind Australia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
26,473,055
1,836,713
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MKD, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 AUD (1 AUD = 0.706 USD). 1 EUR = 1.58 AUD (1 AUD = 0.633 EUR).

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 55.02 MKD (100 MKD = 1.82 USD). 1 EUR = 61.4 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Australia North Macedonia 15,480 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Australia
  • North Macedonia

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
Australia vs North Macedonia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than North Macedonia?
North Macedonia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 64% lower on average.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Australia: a central one-bedroom averages $1,383 versus $274 in North Macedonia.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in North Macedonia – part of why living there is about 64% cheaper overall.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget in Australia or in North Macedonia?
$1,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in North Macedonia, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Australia or to North Macedonia?
North Macedonia is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

Australia vs other spots: cost of living compared

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