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: $713 in China versus $866 in North Macedonia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,132 in China versus $1,293 in North Macedonia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,551 in China versus $1,719 in North Macedonia.

Living in China costs about 18% less than in North Macedonia on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 47% lower, North Macedonia 36% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $535 to $1,206, compared to $759–$1,105 in North Macedonia. City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 ¥19.36

$7.58 MKD 402

-62.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.29 ¥158

$28.00 MKD 1,486

-16.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 ¥32.66

$5.80 MKD 308

-16.72%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.52

$1.84 MKD 97.8

65.22%

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

$0.45 ¥3.03

$1.75 MKD 92.7

-74.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.81

$1.23 MKD 65.3

-78.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ¥6.71

$2.32 MKD 123

-57.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥13.74

$2.89 MKD 153

-29.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.86

$1.30 MKD 69.2

34.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ¥11.31

$0.71 MKD 37.48

135.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.56

$1.61 MKD 85.3

-39.75%

Eggs

$1.54 ¥10.45

$2.25 MKD 119

-31.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.30 ¥89.9

$8.88 MKD 471

49.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 ¥21.69

$7.41 MKD 393

-56.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 ¥73.0

$12.27 MKD 651

-12.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.27

$0.99 MKD 52.6

82.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ¥8.84

$1.42 MKD 75.5

-7.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.15

$1.30 MKD 69.0

15.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.74

$1.91 MKD 101

-40.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.90

$0.93 MKD 49.27

-21.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 ¥5.86

$0.99 MKD 52.3

-12.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ¥3.85

$0.68 MKD 36.27

-16.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.56 MKD 29.98

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.53 ¥23.88

$3.13 MKD 166

12.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.71 ¥79.2

$6.37 MKD 338

83.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥5.67

$1.04 MKD 55.1

-19.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.29

$1.47 MKD 78.1

13.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.75

$0.77 MKD 41.11

-46.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.78 ¥141

$28.14 MKD 1,493

-26.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.21

$1.15 MKD 61.1

18.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.21

$0.56 MKD 29.79

-41.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 ¥46.40

$7.67 MKD 407

-10.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.57

$1.53 MKD 81.4

-26.80%

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

$19.2K ¥129.8K

$34.5K MKD 1.8M

-44.31%

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

$16.9K ¥114.4K

$31.1K MKD 1.6M

-45.55%

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

$51.8 ¥350

$149 MKD 7,879

-65.11%

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

$9.85 ¥66.6

$17.59 MKD 933

-44.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.13 ¥75.3

$18.74 MKD 994

-40.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.10 ¥264

$31.81 MKD 1,688

22.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.89 ¥101

$14.49 MKD 769

2.76%

Cinema Ticket

$6.25 ¥42.24

$6.50 MKD 345

-3.85%

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

$404 ¥2,732

$283 MKD 15.0K

42.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K ¥120.5K

$4,106 MKD 217.9K

333.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.11 ¥312

$69.6 MKD 3,695

-33.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.27 ¥218

$41.42 MKD 2,198

-22.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 ¥491

$96.9 MKD 5,140

-24.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 ¥493

$111 MKD 5,866

-34.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥3,009

$349 MKD 18.5K

27.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 ¥1,727

$257 MKD 13.7K

-0.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 ¥6,266

$574 MKD 30.4K

61.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$532 ¥3,600

$399 MKD 21.2K

33.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,943 ¥33.4K

$2,026 MKD 107.5K

143.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,492 ¥16.9K

$1,397 MKD 74.1K

78.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,057 ¥7,148

$750 MKD 39.8K

40.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

4.76

-14.71%

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

Last update for China: June 6, 2026

Last update for North Macedonia: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $286 in China, $285 in North Macedonia. Capital cities: $913 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $429 in Skopje.

National salary averages: $862 in China, $662 in North Macedonia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Dining out costs 24% more in North Macedonia.

Public transport is 17% more expensive in North Macedonia.

Salaries are 30% higher in China, giving China stronger purchasing power.

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 $871 per month in China and $932 in North Macedonia, there's a 7% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

China is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 beats 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 works in regional areas but 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.