Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between North Macedonia and the United Kingdom

For one person, living is cheaper in North Macedonia: $940 a month against $2,462 in the United Kingdom, rent and utilities included – about $18,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

North Macedonia
United Kingdom
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
$940
/mo nomad
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,462
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in North Macedonia and in the United Kingdom

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in North Macedonia and in the United Kingdom actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $940 in North Macedonia versus $2,462 in the United Kingdom.

  • North Macedonia $940
  • United Kingdom $2,462

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,393 in North Macedonia versus $3,600 in the United Kingdom.

  • North Macedonia $1,393
  • United Kingdom $3,600

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,847 in North Macedonia versus $4,738 in the United Kingdom.

  • North Macedonia $1,847
  • United Kingdom $4,738

Internal cost variation is higher in the United Kingdom: monthly costs span $1,126 to $4,646, compared to $730–$1,112 in North Macedonia. City choice carries more weight in the United Kingdom.

Living in North Macedonia costs about 62% less than in the United Kingdom on average.

North Macedonia (31% below) and the United Kingdom (81% above) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
North Macedonia
United Kingdom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.37 MKD 406
$21.48 £16.17
-65.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.76 MKD 1,530
$85.7 £64.5
-67.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.37 MKD 296
$10.61 £7.99
-49.39%
Cappuccino
$1.67 MKD 91.9
$4.91 £3.70
-65.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62 MKD 89.2
$2.66 £2.00
-39.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18 MKD 65.1
$1.87 £1.41
-36.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.15 MKD 119
$6.63 £4.99
-67.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69 MKD 148
$6.84 £5.15
-60.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
North Macedonia
United Kingdom
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.29 MKD 71.0
$1.68 £1.26
-23.21%
White Bread (500g)
$0.73 MKD 40.11
$1.72 £1.29
-57.56%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.56 MKD 85.8
$2.17 £1.63
-28.11%
Eggs
$2.21 MKD 122
$4.00 £3.01
-44.75%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.29 MKD 457
$9.42 £7.09
-12.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.77 MKD 373
$9.19 £6.91
-26.33%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.23 MKD 674
$14.77 £11.11
-17.20%
Apples (1kg)
$1.16 MKD 64.1
$2.97 £2.23
-60.94%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 MKD 78.9
$1.62 £1.22
-11.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.33 MKD 73.3
$2.85 £2.15
-53.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.77 MKD 97.6
$3.52 £2.65
-49.72%
Potato (1kg)
$0.94 MKD 51.9
$1.83 £1.38
-48.63%
Onion (1kg)
$0.97 MKD 53.4
$1.61 £1.21
-39.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.67 MKD 36.95
$1.25 £0.94
-46.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 MKD 28.15
$1.66 £1.25
-69.28%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.26 MKD 180
$23.65 £17.80
-86.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.48 MKD 302
$10.50 £7.90
-47.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.99 MKD 54.8
$2.98 £2.25
-66.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 MKD 74.0
$3.51 £2.64
-61.82%
🚌 Getting Around
North Macedonia
United Kingdom
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.70 MKD 38.55
$3.98 £2.99
-82.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.31 MKD 1,395
$107 £80.9
-76.44%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.26 MKD 69.3
$5.18 £3.90
-75.68%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.68 MKD 37.44
$2.35 £1.77
-71.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.68 MKD 368
$26.84 £20.20
-75.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 MKD 80.9
$1.99 £1.50
-26.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.9K MKD 1.9M
$39.4K £29.7K
-14.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.7K MKD 1.5M
$40.5K £30.5K
-31.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
North Macedonia
United Kingdom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$144 MKD 7,936
$327 £246
-55.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.29 MKD 953
$18.21 £13.71
-5.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.06 MKD 996
$43.60 £32.81
-58.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
North Macedonia
United Kingdom
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$26.80 MKD 1,477
$42.36 £31.88
-36.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.58 MKD 804
$18.22 £13.71
-19.98%
Cinema Ticket
$6.51 MKD 359
$13.85 £10.42
-53.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
North Macedonia
United Kingdom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$289 MKD 15.9K
$1,868 £1,406
-84.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,691 MKD 258.6K
$22.6K £17.0K
-79.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
North Macedonia
United Kingdom
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.4 MKD 3,661
$92.9 £69.9
-28.53%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.71 MKD 2,134
$45.92 £34.56
-15.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.1 MKD 4,857
$102 £76.5
-13.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 MKD 5,686
$102 £77.0
0.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
North Macedonia
United Kingdom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$306 MKD 16.9K
$1,342 £1,010
-77.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$241 MKD 13.3K
$1,073 £808
-77.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$533 MKD 29.4K
$2,231 £1,679
-76.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$357 MKD 19.7K
$1,742 £1,311
-79.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,930 MKD 106.4K
$5,601 £4,216
-65.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,360 MKD 75.0K
$4,265 £3,210
-68.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
North Macedonia
United Kingdom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$732 MKD 40.3K
$3,349 £2,521
-78.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.69
5.32
-11.84%

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

Last update for North Macedonia: October 25, 2026

Last update for the United Kingdom: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
North Macedonia
$241
United Kingdom
$1.1K 346% $832
Groceries & Markets
North Macedonia
$191
United Kingdom
$307 60.6% $116
Monthly Utilities & Internet
North Macedonia
$179
United Kingdom
$389 117% $210
Clothing & Footwear
North Macedonia
$133
United Kingdom
$154 15.6% $21
Eating Out
North Macedonia
$122
United Kingdom
$328 168% $205
Sport & Entertainment
North Macedonia
$40
United Kingdom
$70 75.9% $30
Getting Around
North Macedonia
$33
United Kingdom
$140 328% $107

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $274 in North Macedonia, $1,287 in the United Kingdom. Capital cities: $394 in Skopje vs $2,811 in London.

National salary averages: $639 in North Macedonia, $3,251 in the United Kingdom. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 370% higher in the United Kingdom.

Dining out costs 207% more in the United Kingdom.

Public transport is 321% more expensive in the United Kingdom.

Salaries are about 5.1 times higher in the United Kingdom, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United Kingdom.

Good to know
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
🕒 Local time
23:12 11:12 PM
22:12 10:12 PM
1 h behind North Macedonia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,836,713
67,326,569
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to MKD – North Macedonian Denar Converter

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 55.12 MKD (100 MKD = 1.81 USD). 1 EUR = 61.36 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.753 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.838 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • North Macedonia United Kingdom 1,940 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • North Macedonia
  • United Kingdom

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 United Kingdom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between North Macedonia and the United Kingdom?
At $940 per month in North Macedonia and $2,462 in the United Kingdom, North Macedonia comes out about 62% cheaper. 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 cheaper in North Macedonia: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. 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 for a central one-bedroom averages $1,287 in the United Kingdom and $274 in North Macedonia. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget in North Macedonia or in the United Kingdom?
In North Macedonia, $1,500 covers most cities easily; in the United Kingdom 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 the United Kingdom?
It depends on what you’re after: North Macedonia wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.

North Macedonia vs other spots: cost of living compared

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