🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in North Macedonia versus $1,642 in Spain.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,293 in North Macedonia versus $2,399 in Spain.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,719 in North Macedonia versus $3,155 in Spain.
🙂Living in North Macedonia costs about 47% less than in Spain on average.
📊North Macedonia (36% below) and Spain (22% above) straddle the global median.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in Spain: monthly costs span $1,127 to $3,255, compared to $759–$1,105 in North Macedonia. City choice carries more weight in Spain.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
North Macedonia
Spain
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.58MKD 402
$15.98€13.77
-52.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.00MKD 1,486
$57.6€49.63
-51.39%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.80MKD 308
$10.27€8.85
-43.52%
Cappuccino
$1.84MKD 97.8
$2.38€2.05
-22.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75MKD 92.7
$2.58€2.22
-32.17%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23MKD 65.3
$1.83€1.58
-32.79%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.32MKD 123
$3.54€3.05
-34.46%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.89MKD 153
$4.09€3.52
-29.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
North Macedonia
Spain
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.30MKD 69.2
$1.22€1.05
6.56%
White Bread(500g)
$0.71MKD 37.48
$1.53€1.31
-53.59%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MKD 85.3
$1.60€1.38
0.63%
Eggs
$2.25MKD 119
$2.93€2.53
-23.21%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.88MKD 471
$14.33€12.34
-38.03%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.41MKD 393
$8.31€7.16
-10.83%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.27MKD 651
$15.62€13.46
-21.45%
Apples(1kg)
$0.99MKD 52.6
$2.53€2.18
-60.87%
Banana(1kg)
$1.42MKD 75.5
$1.99€1.72
-28.64%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.30MKD 69.0
$2.11€1.82
-38.39%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.91MKD 101
$2.54€2.19
-24.80%
Potato(1kg)
$0.93MKD 49.27
$1.77€1.52
-47.46%
Onion(1kg)
$0.99MKD 52.3
$1.98€1.70
-50.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.68MKD 36.27
$1.30€1.12
-47.69%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56MKD 29.98
$0.74€0.64
-24.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.13MKD 166
$6.19€5.33
-49.43%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.37MKD 338
$5.93€5.11
7.42%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MKD 55.1
$1.25€1.07
-16.80%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MKD 78.1
$2.07€1.78
-28.99%
🚌 Getting Around
North Macedonia
Spain
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.77MKD 41.11
$1.78€1.53
-56.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$28.14MKD 1,493
$34.91€30.08
-19.39%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.15MKD 61.1
$4.48€3.86
-74.33%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.56MKD 29.79
$1.34€1.15
-58.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.67MKD 407
$26.24€22.61
-70.77%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.53MKD 81.4
$1.76€1.51
-13.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5KMKD 1.8M
$38.2K€32.9K
-9.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.1KMKD 1.6M
$31.6K€27.3K
-1.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
North Macedonia
Spain
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$149MKD 7,879
$149€128
-0.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.59MKD 933
$20.16€17.37
-12.75%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.74MKD 994
$34.11€29.39
-45.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
North Macedonia
Spain
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$31.81MKD 1,688
$47.12€40.60
-32.49%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.49MKD 769
$15.83€13.64
-8.46%
Cinema Ticket
$6.50MKD 345
$9.47€8.16
-31.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
North Macedonia
Spain
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$283MKD 15.0K
$517€445
-45.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,106MKD 217.9K
$10.2K€8,752
-59.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
North Macedonia
Spain
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.6MKD 3,695
$87.2€75.1
-20.10%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.42MKD 2,198
$37.36€32.19
10.87%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.9MKD 5,140
$91.3€78.7
6.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111MKD 5,866
$106€91.0
4.73%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
North Macedonia
Spain
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$349MKD 18.5K
$1,074€925
-67.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$257MKD 13.7K
$815€702
-68.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$574MKD 30.4K
$1,691€1,457
-66.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$399MKD 21.2K
$1,228€1,058
-67.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,026MKD 107.5K
$4,338€3,738
-53.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,397MKD 74.1K
$2,744€2,364
-49.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
North Macedonia
Spain
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$750MKD 39.8K
$2,031€1,750
-63.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.76
3.51
35.61%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for North Macedonia: June 9, 2026
Last update for Spain: June 9, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $285 in North Macedonia, $898 in Spain. Capital cities: $429 in Skopje vs $1,609 in Madrid.
💰National salary averages: $662 in North Macedonia, $2,011 in Spain. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 215% higher in Spain.
⭐Dining out costs 104% more in Spain.
⭐Public transport is 57% more expensive in Spain.
⭐Salaries are 204% higher in Spain, giving Spain 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 Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between North Macedonia and Spain?
At $932 per month in North Macedonia and $2,191 in Spain, there's a 135% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
North Macedonia 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.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Spain beats North Macedonia across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget in North Macedonia or Spain?
In North Macedonia, $1,500 covers most cities easily. In Spain, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to North Macedonia or Spain?
It depends on what you're after. North Macedonia wins on affordability; Spain may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.
North Macedonia vs other spots: cost of living compared