Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandar Seri Begawan and Skopje Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandar Seri Begawan and Skopje

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,168 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $1,168 in Skopje, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,692 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $1,738 in Skopje, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,216 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $2,308 in Skopje, rent included.

Bandar Seri Begawan and Skopje have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Bandar Seri Begawan and Skopje are more affordable than the global median – Bandar Seri Begawan 15% lower, Skopje 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.88 BND 4.93

$9.46 MKD 500

-58.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.86 BND 35.40

$33.97 MKD 1,795

-17.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 BND 7.81

$6.73 MKD 356

-8.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 BND 2.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 BND 3.09

Cappuccino

$3.84 BND 4.88

$2.13 MKD 113

80.28%

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

$0.96 BND 1.22

$1.88 MKD 99.3

-48.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 BND 0.64

$1.30 MKD 68.8

-61.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.77 MKD 146

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 MKD 166

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 BND 2.39

$1.29 MKD 68.2

45.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 BND 2.24

$0.82 MKD 43.20

114.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 BND 1.53

$1.90 MKD 100

-36.84%

Eggs

$2.06 BND 2.62

$2.47 MKD 131

-16.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.33 BND 11.86

$8.81 MKD 466

5.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 BND 5.89

$7.56 MKD 400

-38.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 BND 13.86

$15.11 MKD 799

-27.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 BND 3.92

$1.48 MKD 78.2

108.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 BND 2.83

$1.50 MKD 79.2

48.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 BND 3.68

$1.38 MKD 72.8

109.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 BND 3.30

$2.06 MKD 109

25.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 BND 2.13

$0.88 MKD 46.38

90.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 BND 2.60

$0.84 MKD 44.30

144.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.21 BND 4.09

$0.65 MKD 34.23

393.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 BND 1.04

$0.58 MKD 30.86

41.38%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$23.31 BND 29.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.43 BND 4.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.65 BND 19.89

$3.66 MKD 194

327.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.47 MKD 395

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MKD 55.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 MKD 83.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 BND 0.72

$0.78 MKD 41.34

-28.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$0.75 BND 0.95

$27.82 MKD 1,470

-97.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 BND 4.85

$1.12 MKD 59.2

241.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.38 BND 4.29

$0.67 MKD 35.54

404.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.59 BND 14.73

$7.89 MKD 417

46.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.38 BND 0.49

$1.62 MKD 85.4

-76.54%

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

$43.6K BND 55.5K

$37.5K MKD 2.0M

16.44%

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

$37.0K BND 47.0K

$28.0K MKD 1.5M

32.23%

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

$61.7 BND 78.4

$166 MKD 8,749

-62.73%

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

$20.53 BND 26.10

$19.14 MKD 1,011

7.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.2 BND 84.2

$19.69 MKD 1,041

236.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.04 BND 50.9

$38.57 MKD 2,039

3.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.20 BND 9.16

$18.23 MKD 964

-60.50%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 BND 7.18

$7.31 MKD 386

-22.71%

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

$218 BND 277

$390 MKD 20.6K

-44.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,765 BND 12.4K

$5,550 MKD 293.3K

75.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.8 BND 97.6

$89.6 MKD 4,734

-14.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$94.0 BND 120

$40.15 MKD 2,122

134.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BND 137

$107 MKD 5,680

0.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 BND 90.9

$116 MKD 6,151

-38.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$712 BND 904

$445 MKD 23.5K

59.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 BND 599

$336 MKD 17.8K

40.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,131 BND 1,438

$764 MKD 40.4K

48.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$689 BND 876

$530 MKD 28.0K

29.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,074 BND 3,907

$2,710 MKD 143.2K

13.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,364 BND 3,004

$1,869 MKD 98.8K

26.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,807 BND 2,296

$896 MKD 47.4K

101.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.88

4.25

-8.71%

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

Last update for Bandar Seri Begawan: August 29, 2026

Last update for Skopje: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $712 in Bandar Seri Begawan versus $445 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 102% higher in Bandar Seri Begawan. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan versus $34.00 in Skopje. Groceries tell a different story – $219 in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $218 in Skopje – so Skopje wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Bandar Seri Begawan vs Skopje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,753 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan and $1,752 in Skopje. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Skopje, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan and $34.00 in Skopje. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 3609% less in Skopje. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Skopje, where all-in costs run around $1,168, than in Bandar Seri Begawan at $1,168. In Skopje it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bandar Seri Begawan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Skopje – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Skopje. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bandar Seri Begawan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.