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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,421 per month in Bialystok vs $1,094 in Skopje, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,002 per month in Bialystok vs $1,636 in Skopje, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,582 per month in Bialystok vs $2,178 in Skopje, rent included.

Bialystok costs about 30% more than Skopje, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bialystok sits 7% above the global median, while Skopje is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.69 zł 36.19

$7.42 MKD 396

30.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.92 zł 179

$33.79 MKD 1,804

41.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 zł 30.68

$6.65 MKD 355

23.46%

Cappuccino

$3.18 zł 11.86

$2.24 MKD 119

41.96%

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

$1.82 zł 6.82

$2.04 MKD 109

-10.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 zł 6.15

$1.29 MKD 69.0

27.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 zł 12.33

$2.60 MKD 139

26.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 zł 11.01

$3.43 MKD 183

-13.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 zł 4.06

$1.27 MKD 68.0

-14.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 zł 4.58

$0.84 MKD 44.77

46.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 zł 4.59

$1.69 MKD 90.4

-27.22%

Eggs

$3.13 zł 11.69

$2.17 MKD 116

44.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 zł 31.69

$9.26 MKD 494

-8.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.10 zł 22.79

$8.00 MKD 427

-23.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.69 zł 39.93

$13.41 MKD 716

-20.28%

Apples (1kg)

$0.95 zł 3.56

$1.02 MKD 54.6

-6.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 zł 6.72

$1.37 MKD 72.9

31.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 zł 6.54

$1.37 MKD 73.0

27.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 zł 8.15

$2.08 MKD 111

4.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 zł 3.45

$0.88 MKD 46.88

4.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 zł 3.80

$0.97 MKD 51.5

5.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 zł 4.30

$0.73 MKD 38.97

57.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 zł 2.06

$0.59 MKD 31.40

-6.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.08 zł 18.98

$3.26 MKD 174

55.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.33 zł 23.67

$7.56 MKD 404

-16.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 zł 4.67

$1.05 MKD 56.3

19.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 zł 6.04

$1.55 MKD 82.9

4.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 zł 4.19

$0.77 MKD 41.10

45.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.00 zł 131

$28.16 MKD 1,504

24.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 zł 8.19

$0.98 MKD 52.2

123.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 zł 1.83

$0.53 MKD 28.26

-7.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.10 zł 45.21

$7.71 MKD 412

56.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 zł 6.56

$1.47 MKD 78.5

19.73%

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

$34.1K zł 127.3K

$34.2K MKD 1.8M

-0.50%

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

$29.3K zł 109.4K

$29.4K MKD 1.6M

-0.56%

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

$305 zł 1,141

$160 MKD 8,523

91.28%

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

$8.15 zł 30.44

$17.94 MKD 958

-54.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.58 zł 61.9

$19.42 MKD 1,037

-14.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.14 zł 139

$38.64 MKD 2,064

-3.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.20 zł 71.7

$17.95 MKD 959

6.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.98 zł 26.08

$6.44 MKD 344

8.39%

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

$340 zł 1,270

$312 MKD 16.7K

8.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,556 zł 35.7K

$4,479 MKD 239.2K

113.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.8 zł 339

$76.2 MKD 4,068

19.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.01 zł 116

$39.60 MKD 2,115

-21.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 zł 282

$100 MKD 5,354

-24.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.1 zł 359

$111 MKD 5,943

-13.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$549 zł 2,052

$422 MKD 22.5K

30.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$492 zł 1,839

$309 MKD 16.5K

59.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$873 zł 3,261

$641 MKD 34.2K

36.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$733 zł 2,739

$467 MKD 24.9K

57.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,719 zł 10.2K

$2,687 MKD 143.5K

1.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,351 zł 8,783

$1,745 MKD 93.2K

34.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,474 zł 5,507

$882 MKD 47.1K

67.12%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Skopje: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $549 in Bialystok versus $422 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 67% 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 $212 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 30% 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 $2,132 per month in Bialystok and $1,641 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 $340 per month in Bialystok and $312 in Skopje. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% 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 $1,094, than in Bialystok at $1,421. 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 $1,094 versus $1,421 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.