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 $1,148 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $1,112 in Skopje, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,748 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $1,621 in Skopje, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,347 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $2,130 in Skopje, rent included.

Bandar Seri Begawan costs about 3% more than Skopje, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Bandar Seri Begawan and Skopje are more affordable than the global median – Bandar Seri Begawan 14% lower, Skopje 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.79 BND 4.84

$7.57 MKD 399

-49.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.46 BND 35.14

$34.02 MKD 1,793

-19.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.99 BND 7.67

$6.65 MKD 350

-9.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 BND 2.44

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 BND 3.06

Cappuccino

$3.73 BND 4.77

$2.19 MKD 115

70.32%

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

$0.97 BND 1.24

$1.94 MKD 102

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 BND 0.72

$1.28 MKD 67.5

-56.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 MKD 142

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MKD 183

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 BND 2.41

$1.34 MKD 70.7

41.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 BND 2.18

$0.82 MKD 43.38

107.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 BND 1.65

$1.75 MKD 92.4

-26.29%

Eggs

$2.23 BND 2.85

$2.19 MKD 115

1.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.18 BND 9.18

$9.22 MKD 486

-22.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.50 BND 5.76

$7.99 MKD 421

-43.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.26 BND 14.41

$13.63 MKD 719

-17.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 BND 4.07

$1.01 MKD 53.4

214.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.66 BND 3.40

$1.41 MKD 74.5

88.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.15 BND 4.03

$1.32 MKD 69.6

138.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.87 BND 3.68

$2.17 MKD 115

32.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 BND 2.10

$0.88 MKD 46.57

86.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 BND 2.75

$0.92 MKD 48.53

133.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.51 BND 4.49

$0.71 MKD 37.43

394.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 BND 0.97

$0.58 MKD 30.60

29.31%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$13.09 BND 16.75

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.36 BND 4.30

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 BND 1.95

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.59 BND 19.95

$3.15 MKD 166

394.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.41 MKD 391

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 MKD 55.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 MKD 79.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 BND 0.97

$0.77 MKD 40.44

-1.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.67 MKD 1,458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.55 BND 5.83

$0.98 MKD 51.5

364.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 BND 3.41

$0.49 MKD 25.61

442.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.82 BND 15.13

$7.60 MKD 400

55.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.41 BND 0.52

$1.47 MKD 77.3

-72.11%

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

$39.2K BND 50.2K

$34.0K MKD 1.8M

15.23%

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

$36.2K BND 46.4K

$29.6K MKD 1.6M

22.49%

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

$61.0 BND 78.0

$160 MKD 8,446

-61.96%

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

$22.79 BND 29.16

$18.34 MKD 966

24.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.4 BND 83.7

$19.13 MKD 1,008

241.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.66 BND 48.20

$38.37 MKD 2,022

-1.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.85 BND 3.64

$17.56 MKD 925

-83.77%

Cinema Ticket

$5.31 BND 6.79

$6.72 MKD 354

-20.98%

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

$157 BND 201

$312 MKD 16.5K

-49.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,544 BND 12.2K

$4,509 MKD 237.6K

111.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.4 BND 121

$77.2 MKD 4,067

22.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.0 BND 88.3

$40.43 MKD 2,131

70.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 BND 137

$100 MKD 5,275

7.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.7 BND 82.8

$110 MKD 5,810

-41.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 BND 931

$429 MKD 22.6K

69.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 BND 594

$310 MKD 16.3K

49.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 BND 1,693

$645 MKD 34.0K

105.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 BND 1,059

$459 MKD 24.2K

80.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,105 BND 3,974

$2,801 MKD 147.6K

10.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,340 BND 2,995

$1,829 MKD 96.4K

27.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,937 BND 2,479

$913 MKD 48.1K

112.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

4.54

-10.57%

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

Last update for Bandar Seri Begawan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Skopje: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $727 in Bandar Seri Begawan versus $429 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 112% higher in Bandar Seri Begawan, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan versus $34.00 in Skopje. Groceries tell a different story – $219 in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $213 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

Yes – Bandar Seri Begawan is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,721 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan and $1,667 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 $27.00 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.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Bandar Seri Begawan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Skopje, where all-in costs run around $1,112, than in Bandar Seri Begawan at $1,148. 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.