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 $1,087 in Skopje, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,727 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $1,634 in Skopje, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,306 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $2,180 in Skopje, rent included.

Bandar Seri Begawan costs about 6% 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 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.75 BND 4.84

$7.58 MKD 407

-50.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.73 BND 35.81

$33.45 MKD 1,794

-17.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 BND 8.05

$6.70 MKD 359

-6.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 BND 2.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 BND 2.94

Cappuccino

$3.81 BND 4.92

$2.27 MKD 122

67.84%

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

$1.00 BND 1.29

$2.03 MKD 109

-50.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 BND 0.74

$1.29 MKD 69.2

-55.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 MKD 143

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 MKD 180

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 BND 2.48

$1.29 MKD 69.4

48.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 BND 2.31

$0.76 MKD 40.80

135.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 BND 1.59

$1.67 MKD 89.6

-26.35%

Eggs

$2.20 BND 2.84

$2.21 MKD 119

-0.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.47 BND 9.65

$9.13 MKD 490

-18.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.53 BND 5.85

$7.78 MKD 417

-41.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 BND 14.32

$13.71 MKD 735

-19.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 BND 4.24

$1.06 MKD 57.1

209.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 BND 3.29

$1.43 MKD 76.8

78.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 BND 4.14

$1.35 MKD 72.5

137.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 BND 3.67

$2.17 MKD 116

31.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 BND 2.19

$0.89 MKD 47.75

91.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 BND 2.79

$0.90 MKD 48.45

140.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.57 BND 4.60

$0.69 MKD 36.92

417.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 BND 1.07

$0.55 MKD 29.70

50.91%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.67 BND 16.36

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 BND 4.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 BND 2.04

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.63 BND 20.18

$3.18 MKD 170

391.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.26 MKD 389

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MKD 57.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MKD 81.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 BND 0.96

$0.76 MKD 40.94

-2.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.58 MKD 1,533

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.82 BND 6.23

$0.96 MKD 51.6

402.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 BND 3.40

$0.48 MKD 26.01

450.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.49 BND 14.84

$7.41 MKD 397

55.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.38 BND 0.49

$1.49 MKD 79.7

-74.50%

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

$39.3K BND 50.8K

$33.7K MKD 1.8M

16.92%

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

$36.6K BND 47.2K

$29.3K MKD 1.6M

25.00%

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

$60.4 BND 78.0

$160 MKD 8,574

-62.21%

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

$22.12 BND 28.56

$18.05 MKD 968

22.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.2 BND 82.9

$19.13 MKD 1,026

235.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.32 BND 48.19

$38.66 MKD 2,074

-3.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.84 BND 3.67

$17.36 MKD 931

-83.64%

Cinema Ticket

$5.56 BND 7.18

$6.62 MKD 355

-16.01%

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

$161 BND 208

$320 MKD 17.2K

-49.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,584 BND 12.4K

$4,642 MKD 249.0K

106.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.0 BND 125

$77.5 MKD 4,157

25.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.0 BND 89.1

$40.16 MKD 2,154

71.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BND 139

$100 MKD 5,364

7.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.1 BND 82.8

$110 MKD 5,913

-41.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$739 BND 954

$425 MKD 22.8K

73.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 BND 592

$310 MKD 16.6K

47.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,324 BND 1,710

$645 MKD 34.6K

105.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$812 BND 1,049

$463 MKD 24.8K

75.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,009 BND 3,885

$2,731 MKD 146.5K

10.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,268 BND 2,928

$1,740 MKD 93.3K

30.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,954 BND 2,523

$886 MKD 47.5K

120.62%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Skopje: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $739 in Bandar Seri Begawan versus $425 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 121% 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 $28.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan versus $33.00 in Skopje. Groceries tell a different story – $222 in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $210 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 6%, 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 $1,722 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan and $1,631 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 $33.00 in Skopje. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% 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 $1,087, 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.