Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Samui and Skopje Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Samui and Skopje

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,248 per month in Koh Samui vs $1,112 in Skopje, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,238 per month in Koh Samui vs $1,621 in Skopje, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,228 per month in Koh Samui vs $2,130 in Skopje, rent included.

Koh Samui costs about 12% more than Skopje, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Koh Samui and Skopje are more affordable than the global median – Koh Samui 7% lower, Skopje 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$7.57 MKD 399

-38.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.36 ฿1,514

$34.02 MKD 1,793

36.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 ฿283

$6.65 MKD 350

30.08%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ฿97.8

$2.19 MKD 115

36.53%

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

$0.70 ฿22.72

$1.94 MKD 102

-63.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.81

$1.28 MKD 67.5

-71.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$2.70 MKD 142

-9.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 ฿118

$3.47 MKD 183

4.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿72.5

$1.34 MKD 70.7

65.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 ฿61.6

$0.82 MKD 43.38

130.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.8

$1.75 MKD 92.4

25.71%

Eggs

$2.31 ฿75.3

$2.19 MKD 115

5.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.75 ฿645

$9.22 MKD 486

114.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.81 ฿124

$7.99 MKD 421

-52.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.12 ฿429

$13.63 MKD 719

-3.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 ฿105

$1.01 MKD 53.4

218.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.41 MKD 74.5

16.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿77.6

$1.32 MKD 69.6

80.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 ฿66.1

$2.17 MKD 115

-6.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$0.88 MKD 46.57

82.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿49.42

$0.92 MKD 48.53

64.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.20

$0.71 MKD 37.43

39.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.06

$0.58 MKD 30.60

-10.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿143

$3.15 MKD 166

39.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.45 ฿635

$7.41 MKD 391

162.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.4

$1.06 MKD 55.9

66.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 ฿87.1

$1.51 MKD 79.8

76.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿46.85

$0.77 MKD 40.44

85.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.97 ฿1,501

$27.67 MKD 1,458

66.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 ฿103

$0.98 MKD 51.5

222.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.42

$0.49 MKD 25.61

120.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.42 ฿471

$7.60 MKD 400

89.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ฿45.23

$1.47 MKD 77.3

-5.44%

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

$29.6K ฿968.0K

$34.0K MKD 1.8M

-12.90%

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

$35.5K ฿1.2M

$29.6K MKD 1.6M

19.82%

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

$126 ฿4,126

$160 MKD 8,446

-21.18%

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

$14.56 ฿476

$18.34 MKD 966

-20.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.37 ฿633

$19.13 MKD 1,008

1.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.0 ฿2,089

$38.37 MKD 2,022

66.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.78 ฿581

$17.56 MKD 925

1.25%

Cinema Ticket

$9.43 ฿308

$6.72 MKD 354

40.33%

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

$767 ฿25.1K

$312 MKD 16.5K

145.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K ฿564.3K

$4,509 MKD 237.6K

283.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 ฿1,906

$77.2 MKD 4,067

-24.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.05 ฿1,145

$40.43 MKD 2,131

-13.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ฿3,788

$100 MKD 5,275

15.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.2 ฿2,783

$110 MKD 5,810

-22.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$524 ฿17.1K

$429 MKD 22.6K

22.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 ฿12.5K

$310 MKD 16.3K

23.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 ฿56.8K

$645 MKD 34.0K

169.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 ฿40.6K

$459 MKD 24.2K

170.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,123 ฿102.0K

$2,801 MKD 147.6K

11.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,263 ฿73.9K

$1,829 MKD 96.4K

23.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$402 ฿13.1K

$913 MKD 48.1K

-55.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.54

17.40%

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

Last update for Koh Samui: May 31, 2026

Last update for Skopje: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $524 in Koh Samui versus $429 in Skopje. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 127% higher in Skopje, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Koh Samui versus $34.00 in Skopje. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $213 – making Skopje the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Koh Samui vs Skopje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,248 in Koh Samui, $1,112 in Skopje – roughly 12% apart. Koh Samui costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,872 per month in Koh Samui and $1,667 in Skopje. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Skopje, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 38% more in Koh Samui, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Koh Samui and $34.00 in Skopje. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Skopje, where all-in costs run around $1,112, than in Koh Samui at $1,248. In Skopje it covers expenses comfortably, while in Koh Samui it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Koh Samui has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,112 in Skopje to $1,248 in Koh Samui. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Skopje. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Koh Samui makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.