Cost of Living Comparison Between North Macedonia and China Cost of Living Comparison Between North Macedonia and China

Name: China
Address: CN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $867 in North Macedonia versus $711 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,296 in North Macedonia versus $1,131 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,725 in North Macedonia versus $1,550 in China.

Living in North Macedonia is roughly 22% more expensive than China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: North Macedonia 35% lower, China 47% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $525 to $1,220, compared to $759–$1,083 in North Macedonia. City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.70 MKD 405

$2.75 ¥18.83

180.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.92 MKD 1,519

$24.03 ¥165

20.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.73 MKD 301

$4.96 ¥33.95

15.52%

Cappuccino

$1.95 MKD 102

$3.12 ¥21.37

-37.50%

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

$1.79 MKD 94.0

$0.48 ¥3.26

272.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 MKD 61.7

$0.27 ¥1.84

333.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 MKD 120

$0.98 ¥6.73

132.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 MKD 149

$2.15 ¥14.69

32.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 67.9

$1.83 ¥12.53

-29.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 MKD 40.61

$1.68 ¥11.54

-54.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MKD 88.0

$0.91 ¥6.21

84.62%

Eggs

$2.23 MKD 117

$1.56 ¥10.66

42.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.00 MKD 472

$12.97 ¥88.9

-30.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.20 MKD 378

$3.25 ¥22.23

121.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.44 MKD 653

$10.51 ¥72.0

18.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 MKD 55.0

$1.81 ¥12.41

-41.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 MKD 73.8

$1.30 ¥8.90

8.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 MKD 67.9

$1.50 ¥10.26

-14.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 MKD 101

$1.15 ¥7.87

67.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 MKD 48.14

$0.76 ¥5.20

21.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 MKD 51.2

$0.89 ¥6.07

10.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 MKD 34.31

$0.58 ¥3.97

12.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MKD 29.65

$0.58 ¥3.95

-3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 MKD 166

$3.50 ¥23.95

-10.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.55 MKD 344

$11.55 ¥79.1

-43.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MKD 56.3

$0.78 ¥5.31

37.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 MKD 75.3

$1.61 ¥11.03

-11.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MKD 40.19

$0.44 ¥3.01

75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.52 MKD 1,498

$21.15 ¥145

34.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 MKD 57.9

$1.36 ¥9.35

-19.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 MKD 32.43

$0.36 ¥2.44

72.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.72 MKD 405

$6.61 ¥45.28

16.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 MKD 78.9

$1.13 ¥7.74

32.74%

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

$33.4K MKD 1.8M

$19.7K ¥135.2K

69.19%

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

$31.0K MKD 1.6M

$17.1K ¥117.0K

81.28%

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

$152 MKD 7,975

$50.9 ¥349

198.25%

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

$17.97 MKD 944

$10.03 ¥68.7

79.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.28 MKD 960

$11.33 ¥77.6

61.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.94 MKD 1,625

$40.13 ¥275

-22.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.41 MKD 757

$14.97 ¥103

-3.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 MKD 349

$6.09 ¥41.74

9.20%

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

$281 MKD 14.8K

$418 ¥2,860

-32.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,094 MKD 215.0K

$17.3K ¥118.2K

-76.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.4 MKD 3,750

$46.40 ¥318

53.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.96 MKD 2,204

$32.92 ¥226

27.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.2 MKD 4,997

$71.1 ¥487

33.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 5,751

$72.9 ¥499

50.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$342 MKD 18.0K

$438 ¥3,003

-21.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 MKD 13.8K

$259 ¥1,775

1.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$562 MKD 29.5K

$926 ¥6,341

-39.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 MKD 20.8K

$548 ¥3,754

-27.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,995 MKD 104.8K

$5,047 ¥34.6K

-60.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,489 MKD 78.2K

$2,666 ¥18.3K

-44.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$782 MKD 41.1K

$1,074 ¥7,357

-27.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.76

4.06

17.24%

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

Last update for North Macedonia: April 26, 2026

Last update for China: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $282 in North Macedonia, $286 in China. Capital cities: $423 in Skopje vs $886 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $685 in North Macedonia, $834 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Dining out costs 24% more in North Macedonia.

Public transport is 17% more expensive in North Macedonia.

Salaries are 22% higher in China, giving China stronger purchasing power.

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

North Macedonia vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $873 per month in China and $921 in North Macedonia, there's a 6% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

China is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in North Macedonia beats China across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In North Macedonia, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. China wins on affordability; North Macedonia may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.