Cost of Living Comparison Between China and North Macedonia Cost of Living Comparison Between China and North Macedonia

Name: North Macedonia
Address: MK

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $717 in China versus $904 in North Macedonia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,144 in China versus $1,355 in North Macedonia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,571 in China versus $1,806 in North Macedonia.

Living in China costs about 21% less than in North Macedonia on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 47% lower, North Macedonia 33% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $454 to $1,242, compared to $587–$1,138 in North Macedonia. City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.03 ¥20.46

$7.67 MKD 409

-60.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.79 ¥147

$27.58 MKD 1,471

-20.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.30 ¥35.73

$5.58 MKD 298

-5.02%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ¥20.19

$1.78 MKD 95.1

68.54%

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

$0.47 ¥3.17

$1.72 MKD 91.7

-72.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.87

$1.19 MKD 63.3

-76.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 ¥7.09

$2.26 MKD 121

-53.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 ¥14.58

$2.71 MKD 144

-20.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 ¥12.17

$1.28 MKD 68.4

41.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 ¥11.45

$0.71 MKD 37.64

139.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.25

$1.68 MKD 89.9

-44.64%

Eggs

$1.60 ¥10.80

$2.33 MKD 124

-31.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.09 ¥88.3

$8.58 MKD 458

52.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.38 ¥22.77

$6.87 MKD 366

-50.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 ¥74.2

$12.16 MKD 649

-9.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.06

$1.23 MKD 65.8

45.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 ¥8.63

$1.50 MKD 80.0

-14.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ¥10.23

$1.37 MKD 73.2

10.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 ¥8.41

$2.01 MKD 107

-37.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ¥5.07

$0.92 MKD 48.92

-18.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 ¥6.31

$1.03 MKD 55.1

-8.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ¥4.04

$0.64 MKD 33.90

-6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥4.00

$0.54 MKD 28.63

9.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 ¥25.53

$3.44 MKD 184

10.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.07 ¥81.3

$5.69 MKD 303

112.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥5.63

$1.07 MKD 57.3

-22.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ¥11.11

$1.39 MKD 73.9

18.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ¥2.12

$0.74 MKD 39.27

-58.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.43 ¥151

$27.36 MKD 1,460

-18.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 ¥9.73

$1.29 MKD 68.6

11.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.34

$0.70 MKD 37.22

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.24 ¥48.82

$6.87 MKD 367

5.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ¥8.49

$1.45 MKD 77.6

-13.10%

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

$19.2K ¥129.7K

$34.8K MKD 1.9M

-44.69%

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

$16.8K ¥113.3K

$29.8K MKD 1.6M

-43.65%

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

$54.7 ¥369

$147 MKD 7,850

-62.81%

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

$8.50 ¥57.3

$17.27 MKD 921

-50.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.54 ¥71.1

$18.32 MKD 977

-42.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.63 ¥267

$28.23 MKD 1,506

40.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.45 ¥97.4

$14.56 MKD 777

-0.76%

Cinema Ticket

$6.47 ¥43.64

$6.45 MKD 344

0.31%

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

$451 ¥3,039

$282 MKD 15.0K

59.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K ¥128.0K

$4,571 MKD 243.9K

315.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.39 ¥299

$69.8 MKD 3,725

-36.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.50 ¥233

$38.95 MKD 2,078

-11.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.0 ¥506

$89.8 MKD 4,789

-16.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.8 ¥525

$105 MKD 5,604

-25.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 ¥2,555

$311 MKD 16.6K

21.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 ¥1,554

$236 MKD 12.6K

-2.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ¥5,561

$538 MKD 28.7K

53.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ¥3,207

$369 MKD 19.7K

29.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,572 ¥30.8K

$1,942 MKD 103.6K

135.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,328 ¥15.7K

$1,301 MKD 69.4K

78.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,066 ¥7,184

$766 MKD 40.9K

39.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.48

4.73

-26.43%

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

Last update for China: August 1, 2026

Last update for North Macedonia: August 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $294 in China, $270 in North Macedonia. Capital cities: $955 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $424 in Skopje.

National salary averages: $854 in China, $660 in North Macedonia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 9% higher in China.

Dining out costs 29% more in North Macedonia.

Public transport is 24% more expensive in North Macedonia.

Salaries are 29% higher in China, and purchasing power comes out stronger in China.

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

China vs North Macedonia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $848 per month in China and $863 in North Macedonia, there's a 2% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in China: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in North Macedonia is consistently higher than in China across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in North Macedonia it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: China wins on affordability; North Macedonia may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.