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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,508 per month in Bialystok vs $1,143 in Skopje, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,127 per month in Bialystok vs $1,720 in Skopje, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,745 per month in Bialystok vs $2,296 in Skopje, rent included.

Bialystok costs about 32% more than Skopje, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bialystok sits 10% above the global median, while Skopje is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.83 zł 37.37

$9.35 MKD 497

5.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.09 zł 179

$35.06 MKD 1,864

34.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.49 zł 36.07

$6.78 MKD 360

39.97%

Cappuccino

$3.84 zł 14.61

$2.18 MKD 116

76.15%

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

$1.99 zł 7.55

$1.90 MKD 101

4.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 zł 6.23

$1.36 MKD 72.5

20.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.63 zł 13.80

$2.76 MKD 147

31.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 zł 12.28

$3.35 MKD 178

-3.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 zł 4.21

$1.26 MKD 67.2

-11.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 zł 3.88

$0.81 MKD 43.24

25.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 zł 8.75

$1.89 MKD 101

21.69%

Eggs

$3.97 zł 15.08

$2.52 MKD 134

57.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 zł 37.70

$8.49 MKD 452

16.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.91 zł 22.47

$7.38 MKD 393

-19.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.87 zł 45.16

$15.17 MKD 807

-21.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 zł 4.75

$1.47 MKD 78.1

-14.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 zł 6.87

$1.42 MKD 75.3

27.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 zł 6.35

$1.35 MKD 71.6

23.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 zł 7.95

$2.10 MKD 112

-0.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 zł 4.27

$0.85 MKD 45.28

31.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 zł 4.76

$0.81 MKD 43.02

54.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 zł 4.65

$0.64 MKD 33.94

90.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 zł 2.46

$0.61 MKD 32.55

6.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.25 zł 19.96

$3.47 MKD 184

51.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 zł 24.75

$7.33 MKD 390

-11.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 zł 4.56

$1.06 MKD 56.2

13.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 zł 5.95

$1.52 MKD 81.0

2.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 zł 4.17

$0.77 MKD 40.88

42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.17 zł 130

$28.58 MKD 1,520

19.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 zł 7.95

$1.15 MKD 61.0

81.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 zł 2.52

$0.62 MKD 33.22

6.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.38 zł 50.9

$7.97 MKD 424

67.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 zł 5.89

$1.59 MKD 84.3

-2.52%

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

$31.7K zł 120.6K

$36.7K MKD 1.9M

-13.48%

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

$29.0K zł 110.2K

$28.4K MKD 1.5M

1.88%

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

$308 zł 1,170

$160 MKD 8,502

92.39%

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

$8.70 zł 33.09

$18.86 MKD 1,003

-53.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 zł 71.8

$19.61 MKD 1,043

-3.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.40 zł 165

$36.62 MKD 1,947

18.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.41 zł 108

$17.67 MKD 940

60.78%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 zł 27.10

$7.73 MKD 411

-7.76%

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

$370 zł 1,409

$364 MKD 19.4K

1.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,510 zł 17.1K

$5,701 MKD 303.2K

-20.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 zł 394

$88.4 MKD 4,702

17.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.59 zł 143

$38.29 MKD 2,036

-1.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 zł 336

$107 MKD 5,690

-17.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.4 zł 351

$119 MKD 6,307

-22.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$547 zł 2,079

$439 MKD 23.3K

24.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$528 zł 2,008

$332 MKD 17.7K

58.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$842 zł 3,203

$763 MKD 40.6K

10.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$743 zł 2,825

$522 MKD 27.8K

42.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,726 zł 10.4K

$2,748 MKD 146.1K

-0.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,387 zł 9,078

$1,838 MKD 97.7K

29.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,547 zł 5,882

$920 MKD 48.9K

68.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

4.23

67.14%

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

Last update for Bialystok: September 14, 2026

Last update for Skopje: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $547 in Bialystok versus $439 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 68% 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 $47.00 in Bialystok versus $35.00 in Skopje. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $216 vs $215 – making Skopje the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 32% 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 $2,262 per month in Bialystok and $1,715 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 $370 per month in Bialystok and $364 in Skopje. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% more in Bialystok, 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 $1,143, than in Bialystok at $1,508. 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 $1,143 versus $1,508 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.