Cost of Living Comparison Between Samsun and Skopje Cost of Living Comparison Between Samsun and Skopje

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $928 in Samsun versus $1,168 in Skopje.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,624 in Samsun versus $1,738 in Skopje.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,320 in Samsun versus $2,308 in Skopje.

Living in Samsun costs roughly 21% less than in Skopje, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Samsun 32% lower, Skopje 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.08 ₺390

$9.46 MKD 499

-14.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.4 ₺2,966

$33.97 MKD 1,794

80.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.90 ₺381

$6.73 MKD 355

17.38%

Cappuccino

$3.39 ₺164

$2.13 MKD 113

59.15%

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

$0.95 ₺45.80

$1.88 MKD 99.2

-49.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ₺13.11

$1.30 MKD 68.7

-79.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 ₺96.7

$2.77 MKD 146

-27.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 ₺127

$3.15 MKD 166

-16.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 ₺55.6

$1.29 MKD 68.2

-10.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 ₺82.2

$0.82 MKD 43.17

107.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.84 ₺137

$1.90 MKD 100

49.47%

Eggs

$2.59 ₺125

$2.47 MKD 130

4.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.39 ₺405

$8.81 MKD 465

-4.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 ₺286

$7.56 MKD 399

-21.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.61 ₺1,188

$15.11 MKD 798

62.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ₺113

$1.48 MKD 78.1

58.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 ₺115

$1.50 MKD 79.1

58.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 ₺74.1

$1.38 MKD 72.8

10.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 ₺51.4

$2.06 MKD 109

-48.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 ₺22.92

$0.88 MKD 46.34

-46.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 ₺18.06

$0.84 MKD 44.27

-55.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 ₺43.85

$0.65 MKD 34.20

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ₺27.89

$0.58 MKD 30.83

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.09 ₺101

$3.66 MKD 194

-42.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.23 ₺446

$7.47 MKD 395

23.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 ₺79.5

$1.04 MKD 55.2

58.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₺110

$1.58 MKD 83.5

44.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ₺29.29

$0.78 MKD 41.31

-21.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.68 ₺516

$27.82 MKD 1,469

-61.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 ₺88.1

$1.12 MKD 59.1

63.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₺27.60

$0.67 MKD 35.51

-14.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 ₺257

$7.89 MKD 417

-32.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₺59.1

$1.62 MKD 85.4

-24.69%

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

$42.4K ₺2.0M

$37.5K MKD 2.0M

13.24%

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

$40.2K ₺1.9M

$28.0K MKD 1.5M

43.90%

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

$91.3 ₺4,406

$166 MKD 8,742

-44.86%

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

$11.54 ₺557

$19.14 MKD 1,011

-39.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.65 ₺611

$19.69 MKD 1,040

-35.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.92 ₺1,541

$38.57 MKD 2,037

-17.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.14 ₺296

$18.23 MKD 963

-66.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 ₺205

$7.31 MKD 386

-42.00%

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

$260 ₺12.5K

$390 MKD 20.6K

-33.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,550 MKD 293.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.91 ₺1,347

$89.6 MKD 4,730

-68.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.63 ₺1,527

$40.15 MKD 2,120

-21.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.3 ₺3,541

$107 MKD 5,675

-31.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.93 ₺2,410

$116 MKD 6,147

-57.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 ₺17.8K

$445 MKD 23.5K

-17.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 ₺12.3K

$336 MKD 17.8K

-24.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₺37.4K

$764 MKD 40.4K

1.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 ₺29.8K

$530 MKD 28.0K

16.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$981 ₺47.4K

$2,710 MKD 143.1K

-63.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$675 ₺32.6K

$1,869 MKD 98.7K

-63.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$954 ₺46.1K

$896 MKD 47.3K

6.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

1052.94%

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

Last update for Samsun: August 29, 2026

Last update for Skopje: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $368 in Samsun and $445 in Skopje. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Samsun pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $61.0 in Samsun vs $34.00 in Skopje for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $260 vs $218 per month, with Skopje cheaper across the board.

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

Samsun vs Skopje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Samsun is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 6% higher in Samsun, 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: $368 in Samsun versus $445 in Skopje. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Samsun – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $34.00 in Skopje. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $928 per month in Samsun versus $1,168 in Skopje – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $928 in Samsun versus $1,168 in Skopje, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Samsun but tight or insufficient in Skopje. The gap between the two cities makes Samsun the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Samsun and Skopje are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Samsun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Skopje. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.