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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,447 per month in Bialystok vs $1,083 in Skopje, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,045 per month in Bialystok vs $1,616 in Skopje, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,642 per month in Bialystok vs $2,149 in Skopje, rent included.

Bialystok costs about 34% more than Skopje, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bialystok sits 8% above the global median, while Skopje is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.40 zł 34.12

$7.47 MKD 392

25.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.13 zł 171

$34.48 MKD 1,811

36.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 zł 29.61

$6.60 MKD 347

23.64%

Cappuccino

$3.18 zł 11.55

$2.29 MKD 120

38.86%

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

$1.87 zł 6.77

$1.96 MKD 103

-4.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 zł 6.08

$1.29 MKD 67.7

29.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 zł 12.18

$2.57 MKD 135

30.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 zł 10.72

$3.30 MKD 173

-10.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 zł 3.74

$1.34 MKD 70.2

-23.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 zł 4.48

$0.77 MKD 40.27

59.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 zł 4.40

$1.69 MKD 88.7

-28.40%

Eggs

$3.07 zł 11.13

$2.25 MKD 118

36.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.73 zł 31.68

$8.97 MKD 471

-2.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.98 zł 21.71

$8.11 MKD 426

-26.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 zł 39.55

$13.90 MKD 730

-21.58%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 zł 3.52

$1.02 MKD 53.8

-4.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 zł 6.33

$1.36 MKD 71.6

27.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 zł 6.29

$1.36 MKD 71.6

27.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 zł 7.79

$2.16 MKD 113

-0.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 zł 3.35

$0.84 MKD 43.97

9.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 zł 3.66

$0.98 MKD 51.6

3.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 zł 4.30

$0.71 MKD 37.33

66.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 zł 1.98

$0.55 MKD 29.07

-1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.21 zł 18.90

$3.20 MKD 168

62.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.95 zł 25.24

$7.53 MKD 395

-7.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 zł 4.56

$1.05 MKD 55.4

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 zł 6.00

$1.58 MKD 82.7

4.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 zł 4.02

$0.78 MKD 40.77

42.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.15 zł 128

$28.32 MKD 1,487

24.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.12 zł 7.69

$0.92 MKD 48.09

130.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 zł 1.77

$0.50 MKD 26.15

-2.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.01 zł 43.59

$7.32 MKD 384

64.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 zł 6.14

$1.54 MKD 80.7

9.74%

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

$34.2K zł 124.3K

$34.4K MKD 1.8M

-0.50%

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

$29.0K zł 105.2K

$30.0K MKD 1.6M

-3.23%

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

$313 zł 1,134

$160 MKD 8,423

94.85%

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

$8.27 zł 30.03

$18.02 MKD 947

-54.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.02 zł 61.8

$19.00 MKD 998

-10.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.54 zł 136

$39.49 MKD 2,074

-4.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.80 zł 68.2

$17.78 MKD 934

5.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.90 zł 25.05

$6.38 MKD 335

8.15%

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

$336 zł 1,221

$322 MKD 16.9K

4.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,522 zł 34.6K

$4,517 MKD 237.2K

110.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.4 zł 332

$78.5 MKD 4,120

16.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.04 zł 113

$39.91 MKD 2,096

-22.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 zł 273

$101 MKD 5,306

-25.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.6 zł 340

$110 MKD 5,790

-15.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$541 zł 1,965

$423 MKD 22.2K

27.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$490 zł 1,778

$311 MKD 16.3K

57.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$862 zł 3,127

$626 MKD 32.9K

37.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 zł 2,625

$465 MKD 24.4K

55.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,887 zł 10.5K

$2,841 MKD 149.2K

1.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,516 zł 9,133

$1,883 MKD 98.9K

33.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,513 zł 5,492

$888 MKD 46.6K

70.42%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Skopje: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $541 in Bialystok versus $423 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 70% 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 $34.00 in Skopje. Groceries tell a different story – $201 in Bialystok vs $213 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 34% 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 $2,171 per month in Bialystok and $1,625 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 $336 per month in Bialystok and $322 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 $1,083, than in Bialystok at $1,447. 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 $1,083 versus $1,447 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.