Cost of Living Comparison Between Nizhny Novgorod and Skopje Cost of Living Comparison Between Nizhny Novgorod and Skopje

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,131 in Nizhny Novgorod versus $1,112 in Skopje.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,776 in Nizhny Novgorod versus $1,621 in Skopje.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,420 in Nizhny Novgorod versus $2,130 in Skopje.

Living in Nizhny Novgorod is roughly 2% more expensive than Skopje, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nizhny Novgorod 16% lower, Skopje 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.28 ₽823

$7.57 MKD 399

49.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.77 ₽2,830

$34.02 MKD 1,793

13.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ₽409

$6.65 MKD 350

-15.79%

Cappuccino

$2.66 ₽194

$2.19 MKD 115

21.46%

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

$1.30 ₽94.7

$1.94 MKD 102

-32.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₽30.99

$1.28 MKD 67.5

-67.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.03 ₽75.5

$2.70 MKD 142

-61.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 ₽230

$3.47 MKD 183

-9.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ₽76.7

$1.34 MKD 70.7

-21.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 ₽41.81

$0.82 MKD 43.38

-30.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ₽96.0

$1.75 MKD 92.4

-25.14%

Eggs

$1.53 ₽112

$2.19 MKD 115

-30.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.59 ₽773

$9.22 MKD 486

14.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.74 ₽346

$7.99 MKD 421

-40.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.94 ₽652

$13.63 MKD 719

-34.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.75 ₽128

$1.01 MKD 53.4

73.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ₽122

$1.41 MKD 74.5

19.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 ₽143

$1.32 MKD 69.6

48.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 ₽183

$2.17 MKD 115

15.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₽51.5

$0.88 MKD 46.57

-19.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 ₽52.1

$0.92 MKD 48.53

-22.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 ₽87.9

$0.71 MKD 37.43

69.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₽57.1

$0.58 MKD 30.60

34.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₽213

$3.15 MKD 166

-7.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.14 ₽813

$7.41 MKD 391

50.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ₽85.4

$1.06 MKD 55.9

10.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₽158

$1.51 MKD 79.8

43.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ₽39.01

$0.77 MKD 40.44

-31.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.96 ₽1,238

$27.67 MKD 1,458

-38.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ₽136

$0.98 MKD 51.5

89.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 ₽40.38

$0.49 MKD 25.61

12.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.55 ₽551

$7.60 MKD 400

-0.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 ₽57.4

$1.47 MKD 77.3

-46.26%

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

$41.4K ₽3.0M

$34.0K MKD 1.8M

21.69%

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

$31.7K ₽2.3M

$29.6K MKD 1.6M

7.12%

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

$111 ₽8,115

$160 MKD 8,446

-30.63%

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

$5.52 ₽403

$18.34 MKD 966

-69.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.45 ₽544

$19.13 MKD 1,008

-61.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.67 ₽2,312

$38.37 MKD 2,022

-17.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.12 ₽1,177

$17.56 MKD 925

-8.20%

Cinema Ticket

$6.22 ₽454

$6.72 MKD 354

-7.44%

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

$332 ₽24.2K

$312 MKD 16.5K

6.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,874 ₽282.8K

$4,509 MKD 237.6K

-14.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.6 ₽5,955

$77.2 MKD 4,067

5.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$77.5 ₽5,657

$40.43 MKD 2,131

91.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 ₽10.7K

$100 MKD 5,275

46.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₽8,235

$110 MKD 5,810

2.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$578 ₽42.2K

$429 MKD 22.6K

34.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 ₽26.9K

$310 MKD 16.3K

18.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$984 ₽71.8K

$645 MKD 34.0K

52.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$735 ₽53.7K

$459 MKD 24.2K

60.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,267 ₽311.5K

$2,801 MKD 147.6K

52.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,623 ₽191.5K

$1,829 MKD 96.4K

43.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$948 ₽69.2K

$913 MKD 48.1K

3.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.46

4.54

262.56%

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

Last update for Nizhny Novgorod: May 31, 2026

Last update for Skopje: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $578 in Nizhny Novgorod and $429 in Skopje. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nizhny Novgorod pays 4% 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: $39.00 in Nizhny Novgorod vs $34.00 in Skopje. Groceries flip the comparison at $199 vs $213, with Nizhny Novgorod cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Nizhny Novgorod vs Skopje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skopje is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Nizhny Novgorod pays 4% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $578 in Nizhny Novgorod versus $429 in Skopje. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $332 in Nizhny Novgorod versus $312 in Skopje. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Nizhny Novgorod pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,112 in Skopje versus $1,131 in Nizhny Novgorod, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Skopje but tight or insufficient in Nizhny Novgorod. The gap between the two cities makes Skopje the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Skopje is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Nizhny Novgorod, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Skopje gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Nizhny Novgorod. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.