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: $711 in China versus $867 in North Macedonia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,131 in China versus $1,296 in North Macedonia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,550 in China versus $1,725 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 35% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $525 to $1,220, compared to $759–$1,083 in North Macedonia. City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 ¥18.83

$7.70 MKD 406

-64.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.03 ¥165

$28.92 MKD 1,525

-16.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 ¥33.95

$5.73 MKD 302

-13.44%

Cappuccino

$3.12 ¥21.37

$1.95 MKD 103

60.00%

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

$0.48 ¥3.26

$1.79 MKD 94.4

-73.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.84

$1.17 MKD 61.9

-76.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ¥6.73

$2.28 MKD 120

-57.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥14.69

$2.85 MKD 150

-24.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ¥12.53

$1.29 MKD 68.2

41.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 ¥11.54

$0.77 MKD 40.77

118.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.21

$1.68 MKD 88.4

-45.83%

Eggs

$1.56 ¥10.66

$2.23 MKD 118

-30.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.97 ¥88.9

$9.00 MKD 474

44.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 ¥22.23

$7.20 MKD 379

-54.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.51 ¥72.0

$12.44 MKD 656

-15.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.41

$1.05 MKD 55.2

72.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.90

$1.41 MKD 74.1

-7.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.26

$1.29 MKD 68.2

16.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.87

$1.93 MKD 102

-40.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.20

$0.92 MKD 48.34

-17.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 ¥6.07

$0.98 MKD 51.4

-9.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ¥3.97

$0.65 MKD 34.45

-10.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.95

$0.56 MKD 29.77

3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.50 ¥23.95

$3.15 MKD 166

11.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 ¥79.1

$6.55 MKD 346

76.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.31

$1.07 MKD 56.5

-27.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ¥11.03

$1.43 MKD 75.6

12.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥3.01

$0.77 MKD 40.35

-42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.15 ¥145

$28.52 MKD 1,504

-25.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.35

$1.10 MKD 58.2

23.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.62 MKD 32.56

-41.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 ¥45.28

$7.72 MKD 407

-14.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.74

$1.50 MKD 79.2

-24.67%

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

$19.7K ¥135.2K

$33.4K MKD 1.8M

-40.90%

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

$17.1K ¥117.0K

$31.0K MKD 1.6M

-44.84%

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

$50.9 ¥349

$152 MKD 8,007

-66.47%

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

$10.03 ¥68.7

$17.97 MKD 948

-44.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.33 ¥77.6

$18.28 MKD 964

-38.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.13 ¥275

$30.94 MKD 1,631

29.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.97 ¥103

$14.41 MKD 760

3.89%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 ¥41.74

$6.65 MKD 351

-8.42%

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

$418 ¥2,860

$281 MKD 14.8K

48.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K ¥118.2K

$4,094 MKD 215.9K

321.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.40 ¥318

$71.4 MKD 3,765

-35.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.92 ¥226

$41.96 MKD 2,212

-21.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.1 ¥487

$95.2 MKD 5,017

-25.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 ¥499

$110 MKD 5,774

-33.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 ¥3,003

$342 MKD 18.0K

28.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 ¥1,775

$262 MKD 13.8K

-1.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$926 ¥6,341

$562 MKD 29.6K

64.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 ¥3,754

$396 MKD 20.9K

38.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,047 ¥34.6K

$1,995 MKD 105.2K

152.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,666 ¥18.3K

$1,489 MKD 78.5K

78.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,074 ¥7,357

$782 MKD 41.3K

37.26%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for North Macedonia: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $286 in China, $282 in North Macedonia. Capital cities: $886 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $423 in Skopje.

National salary averages: $834 in China, $685 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 22% 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 $873 per month in China and $921 in North Macedonia, there's a 6% 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.