Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cebu and Skopje

For one person, living is cheaper in Cebu: $934 a month against $1,131 in Skopje, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Cebu
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Cebu Living Index
54

Cost of Living Index in Skopje
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Skopje Living Index

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Cebu

🇵🇭 Philippines

$934

/mo nomad

Skopje

🇲🇰 North Macedonia

$1,131

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cebu and in Skopje

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $934 in Cebu versus $1,131 in Skopje.

Cebu $934
Skopje $1,131

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,415 in Cebu versus $1,675 in Skopje.

Cebu $1,415
Skopje $1,675

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cebu versus $2,220 in Skopje.

Cebu $1,896
Skopje $2,220

Living in Cebu costs roughly 17% less than in Skopje, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cebu 30% lower, Skopje 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ₱190

$9.58 MKD 525

-68.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.48 ₱1,473

$34.25 MKD 1,877

-31.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₱256

$6.45 MKD 353

-36.59%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱158

$2.14 MKD 117

17.76%

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

$1.54 ₱96.9

$1.81 MKD 98.9

-14.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ₱30.98

$1.31 MKD 71.9

-62.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₱112

$2.71 MKD 149

-33.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₱142

$3.11 MKD 171

-27.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₱122

$1.29 MKD 70.4

51.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.7

$0.74 MKD 40.67

93.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ₱63.8

$1.84 MKD 101

-44.57%

Eggs

$2.06 ₱129

$2.52 MKD 138

-18.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 ₱615

$7.89 MKD 433

24.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 ₱289

$7.57 MKD 415

-39.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.70 ₱483

$15.00 MKD 822

-48.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 ₱207

$1.48 MKD 81.0

123.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 ₱90.9

$1.45 MKD 79.6

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$1.34 MKD 73.4

76.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ₱96.4

$1.95 MKD 107

-21.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 ₱148

$0.90 MKD 49.33

162.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 ₱125

$0.85 MKD 46.40

134.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ₱72.1

$0.64 MKD 34.81

79.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.15

$0.55 MKD 30.01

21.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ₱188

$3.52 MKD 193

-14.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 ₱398

$7.06 MKD 387

-10.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱81.9

$1.06 MKD 58.1

23.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₱108

$1.44 MKD 79.2

20.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₱15.78

$0.75 MKD 41.26

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.65 ₱793

$27.74 MKD 1,520

-54.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₱46.32

$1.11 MKD 60.8

-33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.11

$0.62 MKD 33.87

-66.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.33 ₱271

$7.71 MKD 422

-43.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₱83.5

$1.62 MKD 88.5

-17.90%

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

$21.8K ₱1.4M

$34.9K MKD 1.9M

-37.70%

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

$19.4K ₱1.2M

$27.7K MKD 1.5M

-29.99%

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

$121 ₱7,563

$153 MKD 8,410

-21.43%

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

$14.45 ₱907

$18.75 MKD 1,027

-22.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.29 ₱1,774

$19.33 MKD 1,059

46.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 ₱2,050

$38.53 MKD 2,111

-15.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 ₱401

$17.65 MKD 967

-63.80%

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 ₱342

$7.15 MKD 392

-23.64%

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

$273 ₱17.1K

$358 MKD 19.6K

-23.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,156 ₱511.5K

$5,690 MKD 311.8K

43.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 ₱3,109

$84.1 MKD 4,610

-41.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 ₱1,560

$37.22 MKD 2,040

-33.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ₱4,804

$103 MKD 5,620

-25.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 ₱3,717

$112 MKD 6,136

-47.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₱31.7K

$416 MKD 22.8K

21.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ₱19.4K

$327 MKD 17.9K

-5.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 ₱66.0K

$731 MKD 40.1K

43.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 ₱38.8K

$497 MKD 27.2K

24.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,915 ₱182.9K

$2,702 MKD 148.1K

7.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,867 ₱117.1K

$1,807 MKD 99.0K

3.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$341 ₱21.4K

$877 MKD 48.1K

-61.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

4.23

70.21%

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

Last update for Cebu: October 5, 2026

Last update for Skopje: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cebu

$309 33.5%

Skopje

$327 29.1% 5.6% $17

Groceries & Markets

Cebu

$210 22.7%

Skopje

$211 18.8% 0.4% $0.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cebu

$163 17.7%

Skopje

$192 17.1% 17.3% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Cebu

$95 10.2%

Skopje

$151 13.5% 59.7% $57

Eating Out

Cebu

$88 9.6%

Skopje

$154 13.7% 74.1% $65

Sport & Entertainment

Cebu

$44 4.7%

Skopje

$53 4.7% 21.2% $9.2

Getting Around

Cebu

$15 1.7%

Skopje

$35 3.1% 126% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Cebu and $416 in Skopje. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Skopje pays 157% 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: $23.00 in Cebu vs $34.00 in Skopje for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $211 per month, with Cebu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇭 Cebu

🇲🇰 Skopje

🕒 Local time

16:49 4:49 PM

10:49 10:49 AM

6 h behind Cebu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

964,169

422,540 Capital

💱 Currency

Philippine Peso PHP ₱

North Macedonian Denar MKD ден

📈 Exchange rate

100 PHP = 1.59 USD

100 PHP = 1.42 EUR

100 MKD = 1.82 USD

100 MKD = 1.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MKD, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇭 Philippine Peso (₱)

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 62.72 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.35 PHP (100 PHP = 1.42 EUR).

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 54.8 MKD (100 MKD = 1.82 USD). 1 EUR = 61.46 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

USD to PHP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Cebu Skopje 10,250 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Cebu
Skopje

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

Cebu vs Skopje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 157% lower in Skopje. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $506 in Cebu versus $416 in Skopje. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $934 per month in Cebu versus $1,131 in Skopje – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 119% less than in Skopje. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $934 in Cebu versus $1,131 in Skopje, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Skopje. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Skopje, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Skopje 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 Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Skopje. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.