🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $904 in North Macedonia versus $1,657 in Spain.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,355 in North Macedonia versus $2,452 in Spain.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,806 in North Macedonia versus $3,247 in Spain.
🌍Living in North Macedonia costs about 45% less than in Spain on average.
📊North Macedonia (33% below) and Spain (22% above) straddle the global median.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in Spain: monthly costs span $913 to $2,696, compared to $587–$1,138 in North Macedonia. City choice carries more weight in Spain.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
North Macedonia
Spain
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.67MKD 409
$17.33€15.03
-55.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.58MKD 1,471
$56.8€49.20
-51.40%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.58MKD 298
$11.28€9.78
-50.53%
Cappuccino
$1.78MKD 95.1
$2.47€2.14
-27.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72MKD 91.7
$2.56€2.22
-32.81%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.19MKD 63.3
$1.92€1.67
-38.02%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.26MKD 121
$3.35€2.90
-32.54%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71MKD 144
$4.13€3.58
-34.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
North Macedonia
Spain
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.28MKD 68.4
$1.19€1.03
7.56%
White Bread(500g)
$0.71MKD 37.64
$1.54€1.33
-53.90%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.68MKD 89.9
$1.69€1.46
-0.59%
Eggs
$2.33MKD 124
$3.38€2.93
-31.07%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.58MKD 458
$14.43€12.51
-40.54%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.87MKD 366
$8.60€7.45
-20.12%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.16MKD 649
$16.63€14.41
-26.88%
Apples(1kg)
$1.23MKD 65.8
$2.61€2.26
-52.87%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MKD 80.0
$2.08€1.80
-27.88%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.37MKD 73.2
$2.10€1.82
-34.76%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.01MKD 107
$2.63€2.28
-23.57%
Potato(1kg)
$0.92MKD 48.92
$1.89€1.64
-51.32%
Onion(1kg)
$1.03MKD 55.1
$1.99€1.72
-48.24%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.64MKD 33.90
$1.39€1.20
-53.96%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54MKD 28.63
$0.81€0.71
-33.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.44MKD 184
$6.52€5.66
-47.24%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.69MKD 303
$5.89€5.10
-3.40%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.07MKD 57.3
$1.32€1.15
-18.94%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.39MKD 73.9
$2.11€1.83
-34.12%
🚌 Getting Around
North Macedonia
Spain
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.74MKD 39.27
$1.76€1.52
-57.95%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$27.36MKD 1,460
$34.79€30.16
-21.36%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.29MKD 68.6
$4.54€3.94
-71.59%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.70MKD 37.22
$1.46€1.27
-52.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.87MKD 367
$24.83€21.52
-72.33%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.45MKD 77.6
$1.69€1.46
-14.20%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8KMKD 1.9M
$36.5K€31.7K
-4.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.8KMKD 1.6M
$30.7K€26.6K
-2.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
North Macedonia
Spain
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$147MKD 7,850
$155€135
-5.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.27MKD 921
$18.24€15.82
-5.32%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.32MKD 977
$32.76€28.40
-44.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
North Macedonia
Spain
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$28.23MKD 1,506
$47.36€41.05
-40.39%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.56MKD 777
$15.79€13.69
-7.79%
Cinema Ticket
$6.45MKD 344
$9.65€8.37
-33.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
North Macedonia
Spain
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$282MKD 15.0K
$556€482
-49.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,571MKD 243.9K
$10.7K€9,294
-57.36%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
North Macedonia
Spain
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.8MKD 3,725
$86.6€75.1
-19.37%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.95MKD 2,078
$37.61€32.61
3.56%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$89.8MKD 4,789
$92.2€79.9
-2.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105MKD 5,604
$111€95.8
-4.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
North Macedonia
Spain
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$311MKD 16.6K
$1,029€892
-69.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$236MKD 12.6K
$803€696
-70.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$538MKD 28.7K
$1,675€1,452
-67.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$369MKD 19.7K
$1,245€1,079
-70.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,942MKD 103.6K
$4,300€3,728
-54.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,301MKD 69.4K
$2,642€2,290
-50.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
North Macedonia
Spain
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$766MKD 40.9K
$2,007€1,740
-61.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.73
3.3
43.33%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for North Macedonia: August 2, 2026
Last update for Spain: August 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $270 in North Macedonia, $907 in Spain. Capital cities: $424 in Skopje vs $1,612 in Madrid.
💰National salary averages: $660 in North Macedonia, $2,014 in Spain. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 236% higher in Spain.
⭐Dining out costs 115% more in Spain.
⭐Public transport is 43% more expensive in Spain.
⭐Salaries are 205% higher in Spain, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Spain.
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 $863 per month in North Macedonia and $1,805 in Spain, there's a 109% 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?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in North Macedonia: 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 is consistently higher than in 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 in Spain?
In North Macedonia, $1,500 covers most cities easily; in Spain it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to North Macedonia or to 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