Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Kumanovo

For one person, living is cheaper in Kumanovo: $793 a month against $1,340 in Bucharest, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

65

Cost of Living Index in Bucharest
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Bucharest Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Kumanovo
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Kumanovo Living Index

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Bucharest

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,340

/mo nomad

Kumanovo

🇲🇰 North Macedonia

$793

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bucharest and in Kumanovo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bucharest and in Kumanovo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,340 in Bucharest versus $793 in Kumanovo.

Bucharest $1,340
Kumanovo $793

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Bucharest versus $1,162 in Kumanovo.

Bucharest $2,037
Kumanovo $1,162

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,734 in Bucharest versus $1,532 in Kumanovo.

Bucharest $2,734
Kumanovo $1,532

Living in Bucharest is roughly 69% more expensive than in Kumanovo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bucharest 1% lower, Kumanovo 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.49 RON 68.6

$6.53 MKD 356

121.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 RON 275

$27.26 MKD 1,487

113.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 RON 35.40

$6.61 MKD 361

13.16%

Cappuccino

$3.44 RON 16.29

$1.45 MKD 79.0

137.24%

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

$2.37 RON 11.22

$1.40 MKD 76.2

69.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 RON 10.88

$1.01 MKD 55.2

127.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 RON 17.51

$1.56 MKD 85.1

137.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 RON 19.69

$1.69 MKD 92.0

146.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.90

$1.23 MKD 66.9

35.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 RON 6.50

$0.73 MKD 40.01

87.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 RON 8.14

$1.77 MKD 96.4

-2.82%

Eggs

$3.64 RON 17.22

$2.34 MKD 128

55.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.08 RON 42.98

$7.98 MKD 435

13.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.84 RON 32.35

$7.57 MKD 413

-9.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.00 RON 56.8

$11.49 MKD 627

4.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.80

$0.94 MKD 51.2

30.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.73

$1.44 MKD 78.6

13.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.45

$1.31 MKD 71.4

19.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 RON 12.01

$1.74 MKD 95.0

45.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 RON 3.75

$0.85 MKD 46.29

-7.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 RON 3.66

$0.80 MKD 43.60

-3.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 RON 4.13

$0.52 MKD 28.25

67.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 RON 4.70

$0.59 MKD 32.11

67.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.31 RON 29.86

$3.13 MKD 171

101.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.20 RON 29.34

$7.13 MKD 389

-13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 RON 5.63

$1.05 MKD 57.5

13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 RON 7.45

$1.04 MKD 57.0

50.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 RON 4.08

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.10 RON 99.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 RON 3.05

$1.12 MKD 61.0

-42.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.86

$0.62 MKD 33.68

-3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 RON 30.43

$5.72 MKD 312

12.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 RON 9.25

$1.45 MKD 79.0

35.17%

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

$29.0K RON 137.2K

$35.5K MKD 1.9M

-18.29%

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

$26.6K RON 126.0K

$27.1K MKD 1.5M

-1.72%

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

$196 RON 927

$128 MKD 6,956

53.62%

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

$8.04 RON 38.04

$16.68 MKD 910

-51.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.35 RON 44.21

$18.70 MKD 1,020

-50.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 RON 238

$27.77 MKD 1,515

80.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.33 RON 120

$18.35 MKD 1,001

38.04%

Cinema Ticket

$8.15 RON 38.55

$5.53 MKD 301

47.38%

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

$628 RON 2,971

$356 MKD 19.4K

76.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K RON 66.6K

$5,659 MKD 308.7K

148.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.6 RON 424

$41.62 MKD 2,270

115.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.32 RON 181

$19.80 MKD 1,080

93.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 RON 375

$80.5 MKD 4,392

-1.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 RON 428

$49.21 MKD 2,685

83.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$678 RON 3,209

$241 MKD 13.1K

181.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 RON 2,121

$196 MKD 10.7K

128.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 RON 5,125

$410 MKD 22.4K

163.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$725 RON 3,430

$247 MKD 13.4K

194.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,751 RON 17.7K

$1,610 MKD 87.8K

133.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,195 RON 10.4K

$1,434 MKD 78.2K

53.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,329 RON 6,290

$554 MKD 30.2K

140.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

68.75%

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

Last update for Bucharest: October 12, 2026

Last update for Kumanovo: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bucharest

$448 33.5%

Kumanovo

$196 24.7% 56.3% $253

Eating Out

Bucharest

$225 16.8%

Kumanovo

$110 13.9% 51% $115

Groceries & Markets

Bucharest

$225 16.8%

Kumanovo

$194 24.5% 13.6% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bucharest

$213 15.9%

Kumanovo

$163 20.6% 23.6% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Bucharest

$134 10%

Kumanovo

$86 10.9% 35.8% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Bucharest

$67 5%

Kumanovo

$39 4.9% 41.7% $28

Getting Around

Bucharest

$28 2.1%

Kumanovo

$4.2 * 0.5% 85.1% $24

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $678 in Bucharest and $241 in Kumanovo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 140% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $58.0 in Bucharest vs $27.00 in Kumanovo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $194 per month, with Kumanovo cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇷🇴 Bucharest

🇲🇰 Kumanovo

🕒 Local time

17:53 5:53 PM

16:53 4:53 PM

1 h behind Bucharest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,883,425 Capital

75,051

💱 Currency

Romanian Leu RON lei

North Macedonian Denar MKD ден

📈 Exchange rate

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

100 MKD = 1.83 USD

100 MKD = 1.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MKD, USD, EUR to RON – Romanian Leu Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇷🇴 Romanian Leu (lei)

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 54.55 MKD (100 MKD = 1.83 USD). 1 EUR = 61.33 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

USD to RON in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Bucharest Kumanovo 440 km

From you

Bucharest
Kumanovo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Bucharest vs Kumanovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Kumanovo differ by about 69% in total monthly costs ($1,340 vs $793 including rent). Kumanovo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 140% higher in Bucharest, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $678 in Bucharest versus $241 in Kumanovo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Bucharest. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,340 per month in Bucharest versus $793 in Kumanovo – a 69% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $793 in Kumanovo versus $1,340 in Bucharest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kumanovo but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Kumanovo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Bucharest and Kumanovo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kumanovo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.