Cost of Living Comparison Between Bialystok and Skopje Cost of Living Comparison Between Bialystok and Skopje

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,423 per month in Bialystok vs $1,105 in Skopje, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,009 per month in Bialystok vs $1,631 in Skopje, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,595 per month in Bialystok vs $2,156 in Skopje, rent included.

Bialystok costs about 29% more than Skopje, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bialystok sits 6% above the global median, while Skopje is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.66 zł 35.30

$7.49 MKD 397

28.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.35 zł 177

$34.48 MKD 1,830

40.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.14 zł 29.74

$6.75 MKD 358

20.59%

Cappuccino

$3.22 zł 11.76

$2.30 MKD 122

40.00%

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

$1.87 zł 6.83

$2.01 MKD 106

-6.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 zł 6.14

$1.29 MKD 68.3

30.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 zł 11.98

$2.60 MKD 138

26.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 zł 10.58

$3.30 MKD 175

-12.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 zł 3.99

$1.34 MKD 71.0

-18.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 zł 4.37

$0.77 MKD 41.09

55.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 zł 4.28

$1.68 MKD 89.2

-30.36%

Eggs

$3.01 zł 11.00

$2.19 MKD 116

37.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.51 zł 31.09

$9.35 MKD 496

-8.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.97 zł 21.81

$7.76 MKD 412

-23.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 zł 39.99

$13.48 MKD 715

-18.84%

Apples (1kg)

$0.89 zł 3.27

$1.07 MKD 56.7

-16.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 zł 6.60

$1.42 MKD 75.3

27.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 zł 6.29

$1.38 MKD 73.2

24.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 zł 8.08

$2.08 MKD 110

6.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 zł 3.42

$0.88 MKD 46.94

6.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 zł 3.71

$0.93 MKD 49.41

9.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 zł 4.20

$0.69 MKD 36.58

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 zł 2.16

$0.56 MKD 29.71

5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.05 zł 18.45

$3.10 MKD 164

62.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.69 zł 24.46

$7.29 MKD 387

-8.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 zł 4.59

$1.11 MKD 59.0

13.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 zł 5.90

$1.52 MKD 80.6

5.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 zł 3.87

$0.78 MKD 41.46

35.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.86 zł 127

$28.09 MKD 1,491

24.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 zł 8.07

$0.96 MKD 51.1

130.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 zł 1.91

$0.50 MKD 26.27

4.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.14 zł 44.37

$7.68 MKD 407

58.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 zł 6.16

$1.49 MKD 78.8

13.42%

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

$33.5K zł 122.4K

$33.4K MKD 1.8M

0.30%

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

$29.1K zł 106.5K

$29.1K MKD 1.5M

-0.00%

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

$309 zł 1,130

$159 MKD 8,449

94.18%

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

$8.55 zł 31.26

$18.34 MKD 973

-53.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.57 zł 60.6

$19.12 MKD 1,015

-13.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.02 zł 135

$39.05 MKD 2,072

-5.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.65 zł 68.2

$17.56 MKD 932

6.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.64 zł 24.26

$6.47 MKD 343

2.63%

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

$344 zł 1,258

$321 MKD 17.0K

7.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,413 zł 34.4K

$4,590 MKD 243.5K

105.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.3 zł 330

$78.4 MKD 4,161

15.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.45 zł 115

$39.02 MKD 2,070

-19.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 zł 282

$100 MKD 5,328

-23.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.5 zł 353

$113 MKD 5,970

-14.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$539 zł 1,970

$429 MKD 22.7K

25.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 zł 1,766

$313 MKD 16.6K

54.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$855 zł 3,124

$645 MKD 34.2K

32.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$727 zł 2,657

$455 MKD 24.1K

59.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,780 zł 10.2K

$2,768 MKD 146.9K

0.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,477 zł 9,055

$1,796 MKD 95.3K

37.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,568 zł 5,732

$880 MKD 46.7K

78.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.47

4.54

42.51%

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

Last update for Bialystok: June 7, 2026

Last update for Skopje: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $539 in Bialystok 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 78% higher in Bialystok, 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 $48.00 in Bialystok versus $34.00 in Skopje. Groceries tell a different story – $200 in Bialystok vs $211 in Skopje – so Bialystok 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

Bialystok vs Skopje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bialystok costs about 29% more than Skopje, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,134 per month in Bialystok and $1,657 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.

Kindergarten costs $344 per month in Bialystok and $321 in Skopje. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Bialystok – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Skopje, where all-in costs run around $1,105, than in Bialystok at $1,423. In Skopje it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bialystok it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Skopje costs $1,105 versus $1,423 in Bialystok. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Bialystok makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.