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 $1,209 per month in Koh Samui vs $1,182 in Skopje, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,008 per month in Koh Samui vs $1,723 in Skopje, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,806 per month in Koh Samui vs $2,263 in Skopje, rent included.

Koh Samui costs about 2% more than Skopje, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Koh Samui and Skopje are more affordable than the global median – Koh Samui 12% lower, Skopje 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.62 ฿153

$9.68 MKD 511

-52.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.89 ฿1,087

$34.37 MKD 1,816

-4.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 ฿291

$6.65 MKD 351

32.33%

Cappuccino

$2.92 ฿96.5

$2.23 MKD 118

30.94%

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

$0.89 ฿29.54

$1.86 MKD 98.5

-52.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.19

$1.28 MKD 67.6

-61.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 ฿81.1

$2.81 MKD 148

-12.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 ฿127

$3.25 MKD 172

18.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ฿62.6

$1.33 MKD 70.4

42.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ฿47.23

$0.78 MKD 41.46

83.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 ฿52.9

$1.94 MKD 102

-17.53%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿71.6

$2.47 MKD 131

-12.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.08 ฿663

$8.73 MKD 461

130.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 ฿113

$7.49 MKD 396

-54.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.11 ฿367

$15.07 MKD 796

-26.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 ฿101

$1.53 MKD 80.7

98.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.7

$1.50 MKD 79.0

10.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.2

$1.38 MKD 73.0

64.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.0

$2.08 MKD 110

6.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.46

$0.92 MKD 48.78

63.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$0.84 MKD 44.24

69.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ฿37.50

$0.62 MKD 32.51

83.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.26

$0.57 MKD 30.31

-3.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ฿150

$3.63 MKD 192

24.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.00 ฿628

$7.37 MKD 389

157.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿60.0

$1.09 MKD 57.5

66.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿94.1

$1.56 MKD 82.3

82.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 ฿79.8

$0.80 MKD 42.10

202.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.31 ฿1,497

$28.14 MKD 1,487

61.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 ฿106

$1.11 MKD 58.4

189.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 ฿36.22

$0.68 MKD 35.75

61.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 ฿140

$7.98 MKD 422

-46.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 ฿50.1

$1.54 MKD 81.2

-1.30%

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

$28.8K ฿952.3K

$37.0K MKD 2.0M

-22.12%

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

$28.9K ฿953.3K

$28.4K MKD 1.5M

1.63%

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

$110 ฿3,627

$168 MKD 8,854

-34.49%

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

$11.81 ฿390

$19.55 MKD 1,033

-39.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.43 ฿609

$19.73 MKD 1,042

-6.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 ฿1,879

$38.05 MKD 2,010

49.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.82 ฿390

$17.83 MKD 942

-33.71%

Cinema Ticket

$8.38 ฿277

$7.13 MKD 377

17.53%

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

$629 ฿20.8K

$389 MKD 20.5K

61.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K ฿421.0K

$5,501 MKD 290.6K

131.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.0 ฿2,147

$91.6 MKD 4,837

-29.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿961

$39.71 MKD 2,098

-26.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 ฿3,250

$107 MKD 5,629

-7.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 ฿3,013

$114 MKD 6,023

-20.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$628 ฿20.7K

$443 MKD 23.4K

41.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$420 ฿13.9K

$339 MKD 17.9K

23.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,779 ฿58.8K

$750 MKD 39.6K

137.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 ฿34.0K

$535 MKD 28.3K

92.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,020 ฿99.8K

$2,778 MKD 146.8K

8.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,162 ฿71.4K

$1,892 MKD 99.9K

14.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$393 ฿13.0K

$906 MKD 47.9K

-56.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.25

31.06%

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

Last update for Koh Samui: September 6, 2026

Last update for Skopje: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $628 in Koh Samui versus $443 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 130% 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 $33.00 in Koh Samui versus $34.00 in Skopje. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Koh Samui vs $217 in Skopje – so Skopje wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $1,209 in Koh Samui, $1,182 in Skopje – roughly 2% apart. Koh Samui costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,814 per month in Koh Samui and $1,774 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 27% 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 $33.00 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 $1,182, than in Koh Samui at $1,209. 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 $1,182 in Skopje to $1,209 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.