Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kicevo and Bucharest

For one person, living is cheaper in Kicevo: $888 a month against $1,337 in Bucharest, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

43

Cost of Living Index in Kicevo
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Kicevo Living Index
65

Cost of Living Index in Bucharest
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Bucharest Living Index

Jump to prices

Kicevo

🇲🇰 North Macedonia

$888

/mo nomad

Bucharest

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,337

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kicevo and in Bucharest

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $888 in Kicevo versus $1,337 in Bucharest.

Kicevo $888
Bucharest $1,337

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,308 in Kicevo versus $2,029 in Bucharest.

Kicevo $1,308
Bucharest $2,029

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,727 in Kicevo versus $2,721 in Bucharest.

Kicevo $1,727
Bucharest $2,721

Living in Kicevo costs roughly 34% less than in Bucharest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kicevo 34% lower, Bucharest 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 MKD 214

$14.45 RON 68.4

-72.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.45 MKD 1,006

$58.1 RON 275

-68.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.45 MKD 243

$7.53 RON 35.65

-40.90%

Cappuccino

$1.13 MKD 61.6

$3.45 RON 16.33

-67.25%

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

$1.34 MKD 73.1

$2.46 RON 11.65

-45.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 MKD 40.78

$2.23 RON 10.54

-66.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 MKD 127

$3.76 RON 17.78

-38.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 MKD 122

$4.19 RON 19.84

-46.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MKD 69.6

$1.62 RON 7.67

-20.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MKD 28.25

$1.30 RON 6.13

-60.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MKD 96.7

$1.70 RON 8.05

4.12%

Eggs

$2.37 MKD 129

$3.79 RON 17.93

-37.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.37 MKD 402

$8.86 RON 41.90

-16.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.57 MKD 413

$6.90 RON 32.67

9.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.61 MKD 797

$12.14 RON 57.4

20.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 78.1

$1.30 RON 6.17

10.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 75.1

$1.60 RON 7.55

-13.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 MKD 72.1

$1.57 RON 7.42

-15.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 MKD 103

$2.68 RON 12.67

-29.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 MKD 46.08

$0.81 RON 3.82

3.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 MKD 45.58

$0.79 RON 3.73

6.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 MKD 34.62

$0.91 RON 4.30

-30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 MKD 19.09

$0.97 RON 4.58

-63.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 MKD 155

$6.41 RON 30.34

-55.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.28 MKD 288

$6.18 RON 29.24

-14.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 MKD 55.9

$1.23 RON 5.83

-17.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 MKD 78.4

$1.67 RON 7.91

-13.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MKD 41.55

$0.87 RON 4.10

-12.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.27 MKD 1,269

$20.98 RON 99.3

10.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 MKD 58.4

$0.66 RON 3.10

62.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 MKD 33.66

$0.60 RON 2.85

3.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 MKD 418

$6.19 RON 29.28

23.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 MKD 76.1

$1.93 RON 9.15

-27.98%

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

$35.6K MKD 1.9M

$28.7K RON 135.9K

23.77%

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

$27.6K MKD 1.5M

$26.3K RON 124.6K

4.80%

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

$158 MKD 8,619

$196 RON 926

-19.23%

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

$17.88 MKD 975

$8.49 RON 40.19

110.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.13 MKD 1,043

$9.05 RON 42.84

111.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.61 MKD 1,179

$49.54 RON 234

-56.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.24 MKD 941

$25.03 RON 118

-31.12%

Cinema Ticket

$7.12 MKD 388

$8.24 RON 39.01

-13.59%

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

$348 MKD 19.0K

$636 RON 3,007

-45.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,689 MKD 310.3K

$14.6K RON 69.0K

-60.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 MKD 4,636

$88.5 RON 419

-4.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.90 MKD 2,013

$38.77 RON 183

-4.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MKD 5,516

$78.8 RON 373

28.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MKD 6,185

$90.6 RON 428

25.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 MKD 15.0K

$695 RON 3,288

-60.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 MKD 10.6K

$446 RON 2,109

-56.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 MKD 27.6K

$1,084 RON 5,130

-53.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 MKD 16.5K

$712 RON 3,368

-57.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,496 MKD 81.6K

$3,797 RON 18.0K

-60.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,151 MKD 62.8K

$2,202 RON 10.4K

-47.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$567 MKD 30.9K

$1,354 RON 6,406

-58.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

6.75

-37.33%

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

Last update for Kicevo: October 19, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Kicevo

$198 22.3%

Bucharest

$225 16.9% 14% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kicevo

$195 22%

Bucharest

$213 15.9% 9.3% $18

Accommodation & Living

Kicevo

$195 22%

Bucharest

$446 33.3% 129% $251

Clothing & Footwear

Kicevo

$151 17%

Bucharest

$133 10% 11.8% $18

Eating Out

Kicevo

$83 9.3%

Bucharest

$226 16.9% 172% $143

Sport & Entertainment

Kicevo

$36 4%

Bucharest

$66 4.9% 84.2% $30

Getting Around

Kicevo

$30 3.4%

Bucharest

$28 2.1% 7.7% $2.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $276 in Kicevo and $695 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 139% 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: $18.00 in Kicevo vs $58.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $225 per month, with Kicevo cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇰 Kicevo

🇷🇴 Bucharest

🕒 Local time

18:50 6:50 PM

19:50 7:50 PM

1 h ahead of Kicevo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

31,000

1,883,425 Capital

💱 Currency

North Macedonian Denar MKD ден

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

100 MKD = 1.83 USD

100 MKD = 1.63 EUR

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD, EUR to MKD – North Macedonian Denar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇰 North Macedonian Denar (ден)

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 54.55 MKD (100 MKD = 1.83 USD). 1 EUR = 61.33 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

USD to MKD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Kicevo Bucharest 530 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Kicevo
Bucharest

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

Kicevo vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kicevo and Bucharest differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($888 vs $1,337 including rent). Kicevo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 139% lower in Bucharest. 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: $276 in Kicevo versus $695 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $888 per month in Kicevo versus $1,337 in Bucharest – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kicevo runs roughly 11% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $888 in Kicevo versus $1,337 in Bucharest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kicevo but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Kicevo 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, Kicevo and Bucharest 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 Kicevo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.