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 $1,241 per month in Koh Samui vs $1,087 in Skopje, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,231 per month in Koh Samui vs $1,634 in Skopje, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,221 per month in Koh Samui vs $2,180 in Skopje, rent included.

Koh Samui costs about 14% 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 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.60 ฿154

$7.58 MKD 407

-39.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.95 ฿1,543

$33.45 MKD 1,794

37.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.54 ฿287

$6.70 MKD 359

27.46%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿102

$2.27 MKD 122

33.48%

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

$0.68 ฿22.96

$2.03 MKD 109

-66.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿12.17

$1.29 MKD 69.2

-72.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 ฿84.5

$2.66 MKD 143

-5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 ฿127

$3.35 MKD 180

13.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿75.0

$1.29 MKD 69.4

72.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿61.5

$0.76 MKD 40.80

140.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 ฿76.2

$1.67 MKD 89.6

35.93%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿75.2

$2.21 MKD 119

1.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿655

$9.13 MKD 490

113.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.75 ฿126

$7.78 MKD 417

-51.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.49 ฿453

$13.71 MKD 735

-1.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿113

$1.06 MKD 57.1

216.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.5

$1.43 MKD 76.8

17.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ฿77.7

$1.35 MKD 72.5

71.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿69.8

$2.17 MKD 116

-4.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿53.3

$0.89 MKD 47.75

78.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.4

$0.90 MKD 48.45

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿33.95

$0.69 MKD 36.92

46.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.59

$0.55 MKD 29.70

-5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 ฿145

$3.18 MKD 170

36.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.53 ฿622

$7.26 MKD 389

155.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.5

$1.07 MKD 57.2

65.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿94.2

$1.52 MKD 81.5

84.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.81

$0.76 MKD 40.94

86.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.97 ฿1,543

$28.58 MKD 1,533

60.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.96 MKD 51.6

230.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿35.11

$0.48 MKD 26.01

118.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.69 ฿493

$7.41 MKD 397

98.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 ฿47.71

$1.49 MKD 79.7

-4.70%

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

$29.5K ฿991.0K

$33.7K MKD 1.8M

-12.29%

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

$35.0K ฿1.2M

$29.3K MKD 1.6M

19.73%

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

$129 ฿4,331

$160 MKD 8,574

-19.29%

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

$14.14 ฿475

$18.05 MKD 968

-21.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.57 ฿657

$19.13 MKD 1,026

2.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.5 ฿2,131

$38.66 MKD 2,074

64.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.73 ฿595

$17.36 MKD 931

2.13%

Cinema Ticket

$9.28 ฿311

$6.62 MKD 355

40.18%

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

$763 ฿25.6K

$320 MKD 17.2K

138.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K ฿578.3K

$4,642 MKD 249.0K

271.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ฿1,976

$77.5 MKD 4,157

-24.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.45 ฿1,156

$40.16 MKD 2,154

-14.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ฿3,896

$100 MKD 5,364

16.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 ฿2,875

$110 MKD 5,913

-22.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ฿17.3K

$425 MKD 22.8K

21.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 ฿12.5K

$310 MKD 16.6K

19.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,735 ฿58.2K

$645 MKD 34.6K

168.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 ฿42.9K

$463 MKD 24.8K

176.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,973 ฿99.8K

$2,731 MKD 146.5K

8.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,121 ฿71.2K

$1,740 MKD 93.3K

21.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$392 ฿13.1K

$886 MKD 47.5K

-55.80%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Skopje: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $515 in Koh Samui versus $425 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 126% 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 $33.00 in Skopje. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $210 – 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: $1,241 in Koh Samui, $1,087 in Skopje – roughly 14% apart. Koh Samui costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,861 per month in Koh Samui and $1,631 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 39% 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 $33.00 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 $1,087, than in Koh Samui at $1,241. 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 $1,087 in Skopje to $1,241 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.