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: $991 in Samsun versus $1,112 in Skopje.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,509 in Samsun versus $1,621 in Skopje.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,027 in Samsun versus $2,130 in Skopje.

Living in Samsun costs roughly 11% less than in Skopje, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Samsun 26% lower, Skopje 17% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Samsun
Skopje
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.65 β‚Ί351
$7.57 MKDΒ 399
1.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.10 β‚Ί1,153
$34.02 MKDΒ 1,793
-26.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.99 β‚Ί413
$6.65 MKDΒ 350
35.19%
Cappuccino
$2.81 β‚Ί129
$2.19 MKDΒ 115
28.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 β‚Ί59.9
$1.94 MKDΒ 102
-32.99%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.24 β‚Ί10.97
$1.28 MKDΒ 67.5
-81.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.84 β‚Ί130
$2.70 MKDΒ 142
5.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 β‚Ί136
$3.47 MKDΒ 183
-14.41%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Samsun
Skopje
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 β‚Ί48.41
$1.34 MKDΒ 70.7
-21.64%
White Bread (500g)
$0.40 β‚Ί18.32
$0.82 MKDΒ 43.38
-51.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.90 β‚Ί179
$1.75 MKDΒ 92.4
122.86%
Eggs
$1.71 β‚Ί78.6
$2.19 MKDΒ 115
-21.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.10 β‚Ί418
$9.22 MKDΒ 486
-1.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.02 β‚Ί460
$7.99 MKDΒ 421
25.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.35 β‚Ί889
$13.63 MKDΒ 719
41.97%
Apples (1kg)
$1.30 β‚Ί59.6
$1.01 MKDΒ 53.4
28.71%
Banana (1kg)
$1.12 β‚Ί51.3
$1.41 MKDΒ 74.5
-20.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.92 β‚Ί42.10
$1.32 MKDΒ 69.6
-30.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.24 β‚Ί57.1
$2.17 MKDΒ 115
-42.86%
Potato (1kg)
$0.60 β‚Ί27.70
$0.88 MKDΒ 46.57
-31.82%
Onion (1kg)
$0.60 β‚Ί27.77
$0.92 MKDΒ 48.53
-34.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.73 β‚Ί33.76
$0.71 MKDΒ 37.43
2.82%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68 β‚Ί31.29
$0.58 MKDΒ 30.60
17.24%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.04 β‚Ί93.9
$3.15 MKDΒ 166
-35.24%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.62 β‚Ί442
$7.41 MKDΒ 391
29.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.01 β‚Ί92.5
$1.06 MKDΒ 55.9
89.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 β‚Ί115
$1.51 MKDΒ 79.8
65.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Samsun
Skopje
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.59 β‚Ί27.00
$0.77 MKDΒ 40.44
-23.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.66 β‚Ί444
$27.67 MKDΒ 1,458
-65.09%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.26 β‚Ί104
$0.98 MKDΒ 51.5
130.61%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.61 β‚Ί27.90
$0.49 MKDΒ 25.61
24.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.65 β‚Ί214
$7.60 MKDΒ 400
-38.82%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.13 β‚Ί51.8
$1.47 MKDΒ 77.3
-23.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.8K β‚Ί2.0M
$34.0K MKDΒ 1.8M
25.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$49.6K β‚Ί2.3M
$29.6K MKDΒ 1.6M
67.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Samsun
Skopje
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$49.83 β‚Ί2,290
$160 MKDΒ 8,446
-68.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.99 β‚Ί505
$18.34 MKDΒ 966
-40.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.23 β‚Ί516
$19.13 MKDΒ 1,008
-41.30%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Samsun
Skopje
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$82.3 β‚Ί3,780
$38.37 MKDΒ 2,022
114.44%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.56 MKDΒ 925
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.75 β‚Ί264
$6.72 MKDΒ 354
-14.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Samsun
Skopje
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$500 β‚Ί23.0K
$312 MKDΒ 16.5K
59.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,735 β‚Ί171.6K
$4,509 MKDΒ 237.6K
-17.18%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Samsun
Skopje
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$37.79 β‚Ί1,736
$77.2 MKDΒ 4,067
-51.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.67 β‚Ί2,098
$40.43 MKDΒ 2,131
12.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.8 β‚Ί4,033
$100 MKDΒ 5,275
-12.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$45.24 β‚Ί2,079
$110 MKDΒ 5,810
-58.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Samsun
Skopje
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$500 β‚Ί23.0K
$429 MKDΒ 22.6K
16.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$328 β‚Ί15.1K
$310 MKDΒ 16.3K
5.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$724 β‚Ί33.3K
$645 MKDΒ 34.0K
12.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$523 β‚Ί24.0K
$459 MKDΒ 24.2K
14.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$795 β‚Ί36.5K
$2,801 MKDΒ 147.6K
-71.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$429 β‚Ί19.7K
$1,829 MKDΒ 96.4K
-76.54%
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Samsun
Skopje
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,006 β‚Ί46.2K
$913 MKDΒ 48.1K
10.24%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
43.33
4.54
854.41%

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

Last update for Samsun: June 2, 2026

Last update for Skopje: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Samsun and $429 in Skopje. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Samsun pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Samsun vs $34.00 in Skopje. Groceries flip the comparison at $244 vs $213, with Skopje cheaper for home cooking.

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
Is Skopje cheaper than Samsun?
Samsun is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Samsun or Skopje?
Samsun pays 10% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Samsun and Skopje?
Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Samsun versus $429 in Skopje. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Samsun or Skopje?
Dining out is cheaper in Samsun – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $34.00 in Skopje. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Samsun vs Skopje?
All in, you'll spend $991 per month in Samsun versus $1,112 in Skopje – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Samsun or Skopje?
At $991 in Samsun versus $1,112 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.
Is Samsun or Skopje more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Samsun or Skopje?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Samsun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Skopje. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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